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COMPLETE  MANUAL 


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WITH   A 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  BEST  VARIETIES. 

ALSO,    NOTICES  OF  THE 

RASPBERRY,  BLACKBERRY,  CRANBERRY,  CURRANT, 
GOOSEBERRY,  AND  GRAPE; 

STITH  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THEIR  CULTIVATION,  AND  THE  SELECTION  OP 
THE  BEST  VARIETIES. 


ttXTV  prutwue  core  recommended  has  been  proved,  the  plans  of  ott.crs  tried,  and  tr>«  rccalt  la 


NEW    AND    REVISED    EDITION. 


BY    R.    G.    PAR  DEE. 

WITH    A    VALUABLE    APPENDIX, 

UORTAIKIK'1    TUK    OOSVP.VATION'8    AND    BXPBBICNC8    OF  BOMB   OP  THR  MOOT    8UCCB88PUI 
CtJI.TIVATOUB  Iff    THK.sK   FtiUITU  IN  OUR   COUNTUV. 


NE  W-YORK: 
ORANGE    JUDD    &     COMPANY. 

245  BROADWAY. 


Cotored  recording'  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1656,  bv 

C     H     SAXTON&CO. 

i  the  Clei*  s  Office  o'  the  Diatrict  Court  of  tne  United  Stotes,  for  the  Southern  Dittmtsw 
New  York. 


PACK 

PREFACE  TO  THE  TENTH  REVISED  EDITION 6 

'Preface 9 

The  STRAWBERRY , 13 

Situation 17 

Selection  of  Soil IS 

Preparation  of  Soil 19 

Manures 21 

Transplanting  (Time  and  Manner  of) 25 

Mulching 30 

Watering. 31 

Cultivation. 32 

Field  Culture ....  34 

Production 39 

Renewal  of  Beds 42 

Winter  Protection 43 

Sexuality 48 

Forcing 53 

Seedlings * 57 

Classification 58 

Selection  of  Varieties 60 

McAvoy's  Superior — Hovey's  Seedling — Monroe  Scarlet- 
Burr's  New  Pine — Longworth's  Prolific — Walker's  Seed- 
ling— McAvoy's  Extra  Red — Jenney's  Seedling — Large  Early 
Scarlet, — Crimson  Cone— Iowa — Genesee  Seedling — Willey 
— Princess  Alice  Maud — Boston  Pine — Black  Prince — Swain- 
stone  Seedling— Myatt's  British  Queen — Large  White  Bicton 
Pine — Barr's  New  White — Prolific  Hautboy. 

fiii) 


iv  CONTENTS.  / 

PAUB 

Analysis  of  the  Strawberry  Fruit  and  Plant 79 

RASPBERRY 81 

Fastolf — Franconi — Red  and  Yellow  Antwerp — Kncvett's  Giant 
* — Large-fruited  Monthly — Ohio  Ever-bearing — Orange. 

BLACKDERRY 88 

White — Improved  High  Bush — New  Rochelle. 

CRANBERRY 94 

Black. 

CURRANT. 95 

Black  Naples — White  and  Red  Dutch — White  and  Red  Grape 
— Cherry — May  Victoria — Knight's  Sweet  Red — Largest 
White  Provence — La  Versailles. 

GOOSEBERRY "...     99 

Crompton's  Sheba  Queen — Woodward's  Whitesmith — Roaring 
Lion — Crown  Bob — Hough  ton's  Seedling,  <fec. 

GRAPE... 104 

Isabella — Catawba— Clinton— Concord  -Diana — Black  Madeira 
— Delaware — Anna — Iowa,  <fec. 

APPENDIX. 

Peabody  on  Ever-bearing  Strawberries Ill 

Peabody's  Letter  to  R.  G.  Pardee Ill 

Huntsman's  Experiments. ..." 121 

Longworth's  Letter  to  R.  G.  Pardee 1 24 

Report  of  Cincinnati  Horticultural  Society 126 

Barry's  Directions  for  Cultivation  of  Strawberry. 129 

Mead's  "  "  *"*  140 

Fruit  and  Vegetable  Garden 150 


PREFACE 

TO    THE    TENTH     EDITION. 

IN"  preparing  the  present  edition  for  the  press,  I  have 
concluded  to  revise  and  modify  every  expression,  in  the 
light  of  the  past  experiences  and  observation  of  the  Hor- 
ticultural world  up  to  the  present  time. 

Great  changes  have  been  brought  about  in  the  Straw- 
berry by  the  introduction  of  new  varieties,  all  requiring 
somewhat  different  treatment. 

For  instance,  Wilson's  Seedling  was  introduced  a  few 
years  ago,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  it  will, 
under  the  best  treatment,  produce  twice  or  three  times 
as  much  fruit  as  any  known  variety  of  the  Strawberry 
would  do  when  this  work  was  originally  prepared. 
Since  then,  other  similar  varieties,  enormous  bearers, 
have  been  introduced,  and  they  consequently  require 
richer  soil  and  higher  culture.  This  work  never  advo- 
cated poor  soil  or  poor  culture  as  some  have  erroneously 
supposed,  but  it  simply  cautioned  against  excessive  stimu- 
lation— to  grow  leaves  and  plants  instead  of  fruit. 
.  There  is  still  much  complaint  of  many  failures  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  Strawberry.  Some  get  one  or  two 
crops  and  then  run  out,  and  they  give  up  in  despair, 
when  the  fault  is  all  their  own.  They  are  not  exact  and 
accurate  enough  in  their  treatment  of  their  plants,  and 


VI  PREFACE. 

the   most  common   causes  gf  failure   seem   to  be  the 
following,  viz: — 

1.  Allowing  two  or  more  varieties  to  grow  and  mix 
in  the  same  bed.     This  in  two  years  will  prove  fatal  if 
allowed  to  run.     Permit  but  one  kind  in  a  bed. 

2.  Allowing  the  plants  to  grow  too  compactly.     If 
you  keep  every  single  plant  ten  or  twelve  inches  distant 
from  every  other,  it  will  remedy  this  evil. 

3.  Keep  clear  of  weeds,  without  maiming  the  plants 
by  chopping  off  the  little  fibrous  roots.     Do  not  hill  up 
the  plants,  but  give  level  culture;  use  the  spading  fork 
and  mulch  well. 

At  the  head  of  the  new  proved  varieties  I  would  cer- 
tainly place  Wilson's  Seedling.  In  Ohio,  last  June,  I  was 
told  that  Wilson's  was  twice  as  productive  as  any  other 
variety.  Illinois  and  Indiana  told  me  the  same  story ; 
while  strawberry  growers  of  Wisconsin  insisted  that  it 
would  bear  four  times  as  much  as  any  other  kind.  I 
have  never  seen  so  productive  a  berry.  It  is  large  in 
size,  brisk  acid,  but  good  flavor  when  fully  ripe,  and 
hardy. 

Triomphe  de  Gaud  is  an  excellent  Belgian  variety,  and 
has  become  a  great  favorite.  It  is  sweeter,  pleasanter 
flavor  than  Wilson's,  very  large,  often  coxcomb  shape, 
and  is  very  productive. 

Mr.  Fuller's  Seedlings,  the  Brooklyn  Scarlet,  Colonel 
Ellsworth  and  the  Monitor,  generously  sent  out  by  the 
New  York  Tribune  Association,  are  large,  fine  produc- 
tive varieties  that  promise  well. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Mr.  Burgess's  Seedling,  Gen* 
eral  Scott  and  others. 


PREFACE.  vii 

Russell's  Seedling  originated  (with  a  gentleman  of  that 
name)  in  a  garden  which  I  formerly  owned  in  Seneca 
Falls.  It  is  very  large,  productive,  good  flavor  and 
promises  well. 

JSoynton's  New  Seedling r,  "  the  Agriculturist  straw- 
berry," recently  sent  out  by  the  enterprising  proprietor 
of  the  American  Agriculturist,  is  of  enormous  size,  and 
one,  of  the  handsomest  berries  I  have  yet  seen.  The 
flavor  is  good  and  seems  to  be  productive.  It  certainly 
promises  well. 

In  the  descriptions  of  Strawberries  in  the  body  of  this 
work,  we  would  now  discard  altogether,  as  being  super- 
seded by  other  kinds,  the  following  varieties,  viz : — 
Monroe  Scarlet,  McAvoy's  Extra  Bed,  Iowa,  Genesee 
Seedling  and  Willey. 

Some  of  the  other  varieties  are  retained  only  on 
account  of  some  single  desirable  quality  for  amateurs. 
A  good  list  at  the  present  time  would  be  : 

Wilson's  Seedlings,  Triomphe  de  Gand,  Longworth's 
Prolific,  Hooker's  Seedling,  Hovey's,  and  we  hope  some 
of  Fuller's,  Burgess's,  Bussell's  and  Boynton's  Seedlings. 

The  Fruits  of  America  are  so  fine  as  to  claim  more 
time,  more  care,  more  intelligent  observation,  and  per- 
sonal attention  than  has  hitherto  been  given  to  them, 
for  in  no  other  way  can  old  mother  earth  be  made  to 
yield  a  more  sure  and  ample  reward.  We  shall  do  well 
always  to  remember,  as  quoted  by  Mr.  Downing,  that 
"  Fine  fruit  is  the  flower  of  commodities." 

THE  AUTHOR. 
New  York,  January,  1865. 


PREFACE. 

THIS  work  has  been  prepared  for  the  press,  in  the 
belief  that  it  was  wanted  by  the  public. 

The  author  has,  in  a  direct,  plain  manner,  simply 
given  his  own  experience. 

Every  process  here  recommended  has  been  proved ; 
the  plans  of  others  tried,  and  the  result  is  here  given. 

Every  variety  of  fruit  here  introduced — except  the 
Lawton  Blackberry  and  two  or  three  small,  unimpor- 
tant fruits — has  been  planted,  fertilized,  watered,  cul- 
tivated, and  carefully  watched  daily  for  months,  and 
in  most  cases,  for  years;  so  that  it  is  not  mere  theory,  or 
second-hand  information  from  amateurs  or  gardeners, 
however  superior,  that  is  here  recorded. 

With  proper  cultivation,  a  large  crop  of  strawberries 
may  be  expected  every  year  with  as  much  certainty 
as  a  crop  of  corn,  and  in  fact,  more  so,  for  our  direc- 
tions embrace  a  protection  from  drought,  which  so 
frequently  lessens  the  corn  crop. 

It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  author  has  not  fol- 
lowed the  rules  and  order  usually  observed  in  treating 

8 


PREFACE.  jx 

upon  these  subjects ;  but  lias  aimed  to  say  what  he 
means,  in  a  condensed,  business-like  way,  so  that  he 
may  be  understood  by  the  mass  of  readers. 

It  does  not  by  any  means  follow,  that  every  one  who 
reads  ttiis  book  will  at  once  raise  the  largest  and  most 
luscious  strawberries  and  other  choice  fruits  here  named, 
in  the  greatest  abundance.  Few  persons  are  thorough 
enough  to  do  any  thing  well  at  first. 

Place  a  new  recipe  for  making  premium  bread  in 
the  hands  of  six  cooks,  and  it  would  be  quite  remark- 
able if  half  of  them  were  so  particular  as  to  make  good 
bread  on  the  first  trial.  Some  little  thing  which  seems 
to  the  unskilled  to  be  unimportant,  may  in  fact  be 
essential. 

It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  so  many  intelligent  cul- 
tivators are  now  turning  their  attention  to  the  produc- 
tion of  these  fine  fruits,  and  we  may  reasonably  expect 
much  additional  light  will  be  thrown  upon  some 
points,  which  shall  be  included  in  subsequent  editions 
of  this  work. 

The  writer  is  happy  to  acknowledge  his  obligations 
to  a  large  number  of  cultivators  of  these  fruits  during 
the  last  few  years,  for  valuable  suggestions  which  he 
has  become  so  familiar  with  in  practice,  that  doubtless 
even  their  precise  language  has  been  sometimes  uncon- 
sciously woven  into  the  text  of  this  work.  If  it  were 
possible,  he  would  be  more  specific  in  his  acknowledg 


X  PREFACE. 

ments,  for  it  is  pleasant  to  speak  of  such  authors  as  A. 
J.  Downing,  John  J.  Thomas,  P.  Barry,  G.  M.  Hovey, 
and  latterly  F.  E.  Elliott,  who  has  politely  assented  to 
our  use  of  some  of  the  accurate  drawings  of  fruits  from 
his  new  Fruit  Book  and  Guide. 

Our  Appendix  embraces  much  valuable  original  as 
well  as  selected  matter^  which  will  place  before  our 
readers  the  views  of  others,  beside  our  own,  and  in 
some  points  diverse,  and  which  will  enable  them  to 
exercise  their  own  intelligent  judgment,  and  we  hope 
lead  to  successful  prastice. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


TO    THE     SIXTH    EDITIOW. 

A.FTER  two  years  more  of  experience,  observation 
and  intercourse  with  intelligent  cultivators,  the  author 
in  review,  can  only  re-affirm  all  the  specific  directions 
here  given  for  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  straw- 
berry. 

Considerable  progress  can  be  reported,  from  the 
additional  light  thrown  on  the  question  of  the  best 
new  varieties. 

Three  new  varieties  claim  especial  favor  at  the 
hands  of  the  public,  viz.,  Wilson's  /Seedling  of 
Albany;  Hooker's  Seedling  of  Eoch ester,  and  Jenny 
Lind  from  near  Beston.  All  are  staminates,  and  all 
are  believed  to  possess  some  special  excellence.  The 
first  named,  Wilson's,  seems  to  surpass  all  pistillate 
varieties  in  productiveness,  thus  interfering  with  long- 
established  theories  on  that  subject.  We  counted  on 
one  plant,  one  year  old,  on  the  tables  of  the  New  York 
Horticultural  Society,  260  berries!  and  on  sever.nl 
plants  in  the  garden  160  to  200  b  rries!  many  of 
which  were  of  large  size — and  this  on  single  plants, 
not  stools  of  plants.  The  second,  Hooker's,  is  very 
large,  very  productive  and  of  exquisite  flavor,  rival- 
ing Burr's  New  Pine  in  this  regard.  The  third,  Jenny 
Lind,  promises  to  supercede  Large  Early  Scarlet 
in  size,  productiveness,  and  as  an  impregnator  to  the 
pistillate  varieties. 

Hovey's  Seedling,  Longworth's  Prolific,  and  Walker's 
Seedling,  retain  their  favorable  position  in  the  public 
favor.  The  above  list  comprises,  we  think,  a  list  of 
the  best  six  varieties,  and  it  is  somewhat  remarkable 

xi 


Xll  PREFACE. 

that  all  but  Hovels  are  staminates.  McAvoy's  Super- 
ior appears  to  have  lost  ground,  but  it  may  be,  because 
it  has  been  extensively  confounded  with  McAvoy's 
Extra  Red,  a  similar  variety,  but  having  an  inferior, 
brisk  acid  flavor. 

Peabody's  Seedling  has  not  been  sufficiently  tested 
at  the  North  as  yet  to  warrant  a  special  notice. 

Several  English  varieties  are  spoken  of  favorably, 
such  as  Trollope's  -Victoria,  Sir  Harry,  Sir  Charles 
Napier,  &c. ;  but  we  apprehend  they  will  nn  'Stly 
remain  as  pets  in  the  .amateur's  gardens  like  the 
imported  varieties  heretofore  introduced. 

Crimson  Cone  is  yet  the  principle  market  fruit 
around  New  York.  It  is  handsome,  fair  size,  brisk 
acid,  bears  carriage  well,  is  easily  cultivated,  and 
moderately  productive. 

Among  the  Raspberries,  BrinckUs  Orange  is  gaining 
favor,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  Dorchester  or 
Improved  High  Bush  Blackberry  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Cherry  Currant  is  objected  to,  on  account  of  its 
severe  acidity. 

The  Delaware  and  Rebecca  Grapes  are  creating  no 
little  furore  in  the  Horticultural  world.  They  are 
certainly  of  delicious  flavor,  and  if  very  early,  hardy 
and  productive  as  represented,  will  prove  to  be 
decided  acquisitions.  Several  other  new  varieties  are 
spoken  of,  but  the  ir  precise  value  is  so  uncertain,  that 
we  can  afford  to  wait. 

There  is  great  encouragement  at  the  present  time  to 
raise  seedlings  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  new  and 
improved  varieties  of  all  our  smaller  fruits,  and  not 
only  cultivators  generally,  but  amateurs,  if  they  have 
but  a  ^mall  garden,  will  find  much  pleasure  in  these 
experiments. 

New  York,  March,  1858.  THE  AUTHOR. 


THE  STRAWBERRY. 


THIS  is  the  most  beautiful  and  delicious  of  all  our 
early  fruits,  and  so  easily  cultivated  and  so  uniformly 
productive,  that  every  housekeeper  possessing  a  few 
rods  of  ground  can  have  no  excuse  for  not  supplying 
his  table  with  an  abundance. 

Mr.  A.  J.  Downing  said  truly,  "Kipe,  blushing 
strawberries  eaten  from  the  plant,  or  served  with  sugar 
and  cream,  are  certainly  Arcadian  dainties  with  a  true 
paradisiacal  flavor,  and,  fortunately,  they  are  so  easily 
grown  that. the  poorest  owner  of  a  few  feet  of  ground 
may  have  them  in  abundance." 

In  the  language  of  Mr.  P.  Barry — "To  grow  large, 
handsome,  fine-flavored  fruit  in  abundance,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  employ  a  chemist  to  furnish  us  with  a 
long  list  of  specifics,  nor  even  to  employ  a  gardener 
by  profession  who  can  boast  of  long  years  of  experi- 
ence. Any  one  who  can  manage  a  crop  of  corn  or 
potatoes  can,  if  hfe  will,  grow  strawberries." 

During  many  seasons  we  have  had  on  trial  in  our 

00) 


14  THE   STEAAVBERRY. 

garden  from  twenty  to  sixty  varieties  at  a  time,  and 
although  some  were  comparatively  unproductive,  ye1 
the  average  cost  of  producing  them  for  years  has  been 
less  than  fifty  cents  per  bushel;  beside  the  co?t  of 
gathering  and  value  of  plants,  which  were  taken  from 
our  own  garden.  Others  can,  and  have  done,  the  same. 
We  can  refer  to  amateurs,  market-men,  farmers,  and 
nurserymen  in  Western  New  York,  who  have  raised 
them  at  even  a  smaller  cost,  both  on.  a  large  and  small 
scale.  On  a  plot  of  ground  fifty  by  sixty  feet,  we  have 
repeatedly  gathered  over  fifteen  bushels  in  a  season, 
under  all  the  disadvantage  of  many  varieties.  With  a 
good  selection  of  kinds,  and  good  attention,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  one  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  can  easily  be 
produced  on  an  acre.  We  have  on  small  beds  grown 
at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  to  the 
acre,  and  we  are  assured  that,  on  a  larger  plot,  at  the 
rate  of  two  hundred  bushels  per  acre  has  been  gathered. 
It  is  almost  as  easy  to  raise  extra-large,  fine  fruit,  as  it 
is  small,  indifferent  berries ;  and  it  is  a  decided  object. 
Fruit  of  high  flavor,  measuring  from  three  to  four 
inches  in  circumference,  will  command  fifty  cents  per 
quart  in  New  York  or  any  other  good  market,  as 
readily  as  small  fruit  will  ten  cents ;  while  the  labor 
of  picking  such  large  fruit  is  very  small,  and  the  pro 
duct  much  larger.  The  demand  for  extraordinary 
fruit  is  everywhere  iucreas:ng. 


TTTE    STRAWBERRY.  15 

Of  the  many  varieties  on  our  own  grounds  one  sea- 
son, more  than  twenty  different  kinds,  without  special 
effort,  produced  specimens  four  inches  in  circumference, 
while  the  largest  were  six.  There  is  a  positive  plea- 
sure in  raising  such  fruit,  and  our  aim  in  this  work  is 
to  enable  many  persons  to  make  that  pleasure  their 
own.  The  interest  on  this  subject  has  so  increased  and 
become  so  well-niga  universal,  that  every  village  and 
neighborhood  can  call  out  a  little  company  who  will 
be  glad  to  know  how  easily  it  can  be  done. 

Mr.  Downing  says,  "The  strawberry  is  perhaps  the 
most  wholesome  of  all  fruits,  being  very  easy  of  diges- 
tion, and  never  growing  acid  by  fermentation,  as  most 
other  fruits  do.  The  oft-quoted  instance  of  the  great 
Linnaeus  curing  himself  of  the  gout  by  partaking 
freely  of  strawberries— a  proof  of  its  great  wholesome- 
ness — is  a  letter  of  credit  which  this  tempting  fruit  has 
long  enjoyed,  for  the  consolation  of  those  who  are 
looking  for  a  bitter  concealed  under  every  sweet." 

An  unknown  writer  in  the  last  Patent  Office  Report 
says,  "The  strawberry  was  described  by  Juan  di  Cuba 
in  his  l  Ortus  SanitatisJ  in  1485 1  ir  which  its  medical 
and  other  properties  are  treated  at  length."  He  also 
eloquently  says : — "  When  we  contemplate  the  rela- 
tions which  the  strawberry  plant  bears  to  other  parts  of 
nature — to  the  sun  which  expands  its  blossom — to  the 
winds  which  sow  its  seeds — to  the  brooks  whose  banks 


16  THE   STRAWBERRY. 

it  embellishes ;  when  we  contemplate  how  it  is  pre- 
served during  a  winter's  cold  capable  of  cleaving 
stones — how  it  appears  verdant  in  the  spring,  without 
any  pains  employed  to  preserve  it  from  frost  and  snow 
— how,  feeble  and  trailing  along  the  ground,  it  should 
be  able  to  migrate  from  the  deepest  valleys  to  Alpine 
heights — to  traverse  the  globe  from  north  to  south, 
from  mountain  to  mountain,  forming,  on  its  passage 
over  prairie  and  plain,  a  thousand  mingled  patches  of 
checker- work  of  its  fair  flowers  and  scarlet  or  rose- 
colored  fruit,  with  the  plants  of  every  clime — how  it 
has  been  able  to  scatter  itself  from  the  mountains  of 
Cashmere  to  Archangel,  from  Kamschatka  to  Spain — 
how,  in  a  word,  we  find  it  in  equal  abundance  on  the 
continent  of  America,  from  the  bleak  fields  of  Tierra 
del  Fuego  to  Oregon  and  ifudson's  Bay,  though 
myriads  of  animals  are  making  incessant  and  universal 
havoc  upon  it,  yet  nc  gardener  is'  necessary  to  sow  it 
again — we  are  struck  with  wonder  and  admiration  at 
BO  precious  a  gift," 


SITUATION.  17 


SITUATION. 

A  warm,  exposed,  and  yet  ra'ther  moist  location  ia 
the  best  for  a  strawberry  plantation. 

If  very  early  fruit  be  an  object,  select  a  side-hill 
gently  sloping  towards  the  south,  with  a  liberal  ad- 
mixture of  small  stones  or  coarse  gravel  in  the  soil. 
This  should  then  be  protected  on  the  north,  west,  and 
east  by  a  high  .closed  board  fence,  or  a  live  hedge,  in 
order  to  be  very  early;  we  have  seen  an  artificial 
hedge  of  withered  evergreen  boughs  that  had  answered 
an  excellent  purpose,  and  enabled  the  owner  to  realize 
fifty  cents  per  quart  for  the  crop,  when  otherwise  he 
could  not  have  so  much  anticipated  the  usual  season, 
and  would  have  been  compelled  to  take  twelve  and  a 
half  cents  for  the  same  fruit. 

If  late  fruit  be  desired,  then  select  a  piece  of  land 
facing  the  north,  and  exposed.  Low  land  is  usually 
preferable  to  high,  hilly  land  for  the  strawberry,  yet 
it  can  eastly  be  raised  on  both ;  a  little  knowledge  of 
its  character  will  enable  us  to  remedy  the  defects  of 
the  high  ground.  If  the  situation  is  near  a  spring  of 
water,  where  it  can  be  irrigated,  and  is  also  susceptible 
of  drainage,  it  is  very  desirable. 

Though  they  will  sometimes  succeed  when  partially 
shaded  with  trees  or  shrubbery,  yet  they  are  best 


18  SELECTION    OF   SOIL. 

flavored  in  an  open  garden,  with  no  shade  but  their 
leaves.  Alpines,  and  some  other  kinds,  planted  in  the 
northern  shade  of  a  fence  or  dwelling,  will  commence 
later  and  continue  longer  in  their  bearing  season. 


SELECTION    OF    SOIL. 

New  land,  recently  disrobed  of  its  forest,  if  of  a 
deep  gravelly  loam,  we  think  is  the  lest  adapted  to 
the  strawberry,  and  next,  a  sandy  loam ;  but  almost 
any  soil,  even  the  heaviest  clay,  can  be  prepared,  by 
a  liberal  admixture  of  sand  or  gravel,  so  as  to  produce 
the  finest  quality  and  a  large  crop  of  fruit. 

As  has  been  intimated,  as  low,  soft,  moist,  cool  soil 
as  can  be  procured,  consistently  with  depth  and  thorough 
drainage,  is  best  adapted  to  the  strawberry ;  and  yet 
elevated  knolls,  and  even  sand-hills,  with  the  precau- 
tions above-named,  have  often  succeeded  well. 

Wet,  spongy  lands,  except  with  a  porous  subsoil 
susceptible  of  drainage ;  and  high,  barren  hills,  with 
a  tl&n,  flinty  soil,  are  alike  to  be  avoided. 

The  strawberry,  however,  is  so  retentive  of  life,  that 
it  will  live  in  almost  any  soil ;  but  it  will  not  produce 
much  fruit,  unless  the  remedies  are  in  some  ^vay  ap- 
plied to  the  ungenial  soils, 


PREPARATION   OF   THE   SOIL.  19 


PREPARATION    OF    THE    SOIL. 

Clear  the  ground  of  weeds,  roots,  and  seeds  of  all 
kinds,  as  far  as  possible,  in  preparation  for  thorough, 
drainage,  which  in  most  soils  should  be  attended  to  the 
first  thing.  The  best  drains  are  the  earthen  tile  drains, 
from  two  to  four  rods  apart,  which  should  be  so  con- 
structed as  to  be  left  open  at  both  ends  for  the  circula 
tion  of  the  air,  as  well  as  the  release  of  stagnant  water. 
A  brush  or  coarse  stone  drain  is  beneficial  as  a  tempo- 
rary expedient. 

The  strawberry  is  so  sensitive  to  both  drought  and 
stagnant  water  that  most  of  the  best  land  in  our  coun- 
try should  be  well  drained  and  trenched,  if  we  would 
receive  in  return  uniformly  large  crops  of  fruit  in  all 
seasons.  After  draining,  break  up  the  soil  as  deep  and 
thoroughly  as  possible  with  a  subsoil  plough,  or  trench 
it  with  a  spade  to  the  depth  of  full  twenty  inches. 
By  this  process  the  strawberry  roots  can  penetrate  far 
below  the  effects  of  our  severest  droughts,  which  never 
extend,  in  good  soil,  it  is  said,  more  than  from  five  to 
seven  inches  below  the  surface.  Where  the  ground  is 
properly  prepared,  the  roots  penetrate  to  a  much 
greater  depth  than  is  generally  supposed. 

The  late  Mr.  A.  J.  Downing  assured  us  that  he  had 
traced  the  roots  of  a  strawberry  plant  in  one  instance 


20  PKEPARATION   OF   THE   SOIL. 

through  a  shelving  of  rock  and  earth  a  distance  of 
between  four  and  five  feet  in  length,  in  its  search  for 
water. 

Inasmuch  as  the  fruit  is  composed  of  so  large  a  pro- 
portion of  potash,  soda,  and  lime — sixty-two  parts  in 
every  hundred,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  tables  in  this 
work  giving  the  analysis  of  the  strawberry  and  plant 
— we  recommend  next,  that  an  application  to  the  acre 
be  made  of  twenty  to  thirty  bushels  of  unleached  or 
leached  ashes,  ten  to  twelve  bushels  of  lime — either 
stone  or  oystershell — with  two  or  three  bushels  of  salt, 
which  should  be  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  soil,  if 
possible  some  weeks  before  the  plants  are  set  out.  It 
should  never  be  forgotten  that  a  frequent  breaking  up 
of  the  soil  with  the  spade  or  fork  before  planting  and 
stirring  it  up  with  a  long  tooth  rake  afterwards  as  long 
as  it  can  be  done  without  disturbing  the  roots ;  laying 
every  part  of  it  open  to  the  action  of  frost,  air,  and 
light,  so  that  a  portion  of  the  soil,  at  least  eight  to 
twelve  per  cent,  is  reduced  to  the  finest  powder,  is  in- 
dispensable to  the  healthy  action  of  the  many  thou- 
sands, yea,  millions  of  visible  and  invisible  fibrous  roots 
of  the  strawberry ;  neither  can  we  too  strongly  insist 
upon  the  fact  that  while  the  strawberry  fruit  loves  a 
pure  finely  pulverized  virgin  soil,  it  loathes  the  whole 
class  of  rich  stimulating  manures. 


MANURES.  21 


MANURES. 

Leaf-mould,  decomposed  turf  or  peat,  bog  earth,  new 
surface  soil  or  muck,  wood  ashes  and  lime  with  a 
little  salt  well  composted  are,  we  think,  the  best  manures 
for  the  strawberry. 

On  old  or  exhausted  lands  deficient  in  life  as  well  as 
nutriment,  barn-yard  and  other  animal  manures  are 
often  used,  we  know  with  comparative  success,  but  we 
much  prefer  the  above  manures  where  they  can  be 
obtained.  In  our  garden  soils  or  good  conditioned 
fields  we  would  simply  apply  ashes,  lime,  and  salt. 
Plaster  is  injurious  to  the  strawberry,  but  ashes  leached 
or  unleached  are  generally  beneficial. 

We  have  not  used  any  barn-yard  animal  manure  dur- 
ing the  last  six  or  eight  years  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
strawberry  in  our  own  garden;  and  it  was  simply  a 
a  matter  of  careful  experiment  which  induced  us  in  our 
favored  garden  spot  to  adopt  vegetable  manures,  in  pre- 
ference. The  animal  manures  were  Jbund  to  be  too 
heating  and  stimulating  in  their  character,  forcing  out 
a  rank,  strong  growth  of  vines  and  runners,  quite  un- 
favorable to  fruitfulness.  It  should  always  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  strawberry  plant  does  not  produce 
runners,  leaves,  and  fruit,  as  a  general  thing,  at  the 
same  time,  When  the  runners  start,  it  will  be  noticed 


22  MANURES. 

that  the  fruit-bearing  propensity  of  the  plant  soon 
ceases.  On  the  contrary,  we  have  had  strawberry 
plants  in  the  oper  garden,  north,  in  a.  soil  two-thirds 
river  sand  with  one-third  finely  pulverized  garden 
soil,  that  continued  in  flower  and  fruit  from.  June  until 
September  without  showing  any  disposition  to  start  a 
runner,  until,  by  the  addition  of  a,  little  guano- water 
in  September,  the  runners  started,  and  the  blossoms 
and  fruit,  as  usual,  then  ceased  to  appear. 

The  usual  application  of  barn-yard,  especially  horse 
manures,  without  compost  on  strawberry  plantations, 
besides  producing  an  over-growth  of  runners  and 
leaves,  even  before  the  earliest  fruit  is  perfected,  heats 
the  earth  where  a  cool  moist  soil  is  required ;  and  also 
fills  the  ground  with  seeds  producing  troublesome 
weeds,  and  mingles  the  soil  with  undecomposed  por- 
tions of  the  straw,  which,  coining  into  injurious  con- 
tact with  the  fibrous  roots  of  the  plants  produces  disas- 
trous results. 

Our  first  successful  experiment  with  the  strawberry 
was  on  new  land,  which  gave  us  an  enormous  crop  of 
fruit.  In  order  to  increase  the  crop  still  more,  the 
next  year,  we  forked  in  rich  manure  between  the  rows 
and  gave  them  the  best  of  care,  and  obtained  mon- 
strous vines  and  blossoms  but  not  even  a  pint  of  fruit 
in  the  place  of  bushels — a  perfect  failure.  We  then 
trenched  a  soil  three  feet  deep,  made  it  rich  and  set 


MANURES.  23 

out  some  splendid  plants  from  a  bearing  bed  of  Hoyey'a 
Seedlings,  with  an  abundance  of  staminates  within 
four  feet.  The  vines  were  very  large  arid  fine,,  but, 
alas !  did  not  produce  one  quart  of  fruit  when  fourteen 
months  old.  We  then  removed  most  of  the  rich  soil 
and  replaced  it  with  sand,  and  the  same  bed  bore  us 
three  bushels  of  overgrown  Hovey's  the  next  season. 
With  the  soil  thus  reduced,  the  plants  very  slowly  and 
reluctantly  threw  out  any  runners,  but  continued  bear 
ing  largely  without  change  for  four  successive  seasons. 

On  or  about  the  first  of  May,  and  again  ten  days  or 
two  weeks  later,  three  times  each  spring,  it  has  been 
our  custom  liberally  to  sprinkle  our  choicest  beds  with 
a  solution  in  six  gallons  of  water,  of  one  quarter  of  a 
pound  each  of  sulphate  of  potash,  sulphate  of  sod,i 
(glauber  salts)  and  nitrate  of  soda,  with*  one  and  a  half 
ounce  of  sulphate  of  ammonia. 

We  would  not  represent  this  application  to  be  essen- 
tial to  the  production  of  good  fruit,  but  a  continued 
series  of  experiments  has  proved  to  bur  satisfaction 
that  it  is  valuable  for  amateurs,  especially  in  increas- 
ing the  size,  quantity  and  superiority  of  the  fruit. 

The  apparent  effect  seemed  to  be  to  arouse  the 
plants  from  the  torpor  of  winter  and  give  them  in  the 
early  spring  a  strong,  vigorous  impetus,  and  aiding  in 
the  development  of  healthy  plants  for  the  production 
of  large  fruit. 


24  MAX  IT  RES. 

We  have  often  seen  Hovey's  Seedlings  nearly  twice 
the  size  of  adjoining  beds  that  were  neglected  in  the 
application.  The  most  favorable  time  for  the  sprink- 
ling seems  to  be  at  the  close  of  a  warm  fine  day  when 
the  crown  of  the  plants  are  fully  exposed. 

Where  the  above  solution  cannot  be  conveniently 
obtained,  one-quarter  of  a  pound  of  sulphate  potash, 
sal  soda,  glauber  salts,  and  one  and  a  half  ounce  of 
sulphate  or  muriate  of  ammonia  in  six  gallons  of 
water,  or  either  of  them  applied  alone,  we  have  found 
useful  as  a  substitute. 

Liquid  manures  composed  of  cow  or  hen  droppings, 
or  even  soap-suds,  we  have  not  found  good  fertilizers 
for  the  fruitfulness  of  the  strawberry,  but  they  will 
increase  the  runners  and  promote  the  growth  of  the 
plants. 

It  is  expected  that  these  liquid  applications  will  be 
mainly  confined  to  garden  or  amateur  culture  where 
there  is  an  especial  ambition  to  raise  superior  fruit. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  interesting  articles  in  oui 
appendix  A,  from  C.  F.  Peabody,  Esq.,  near  Columbus 
Georgia,  that  his  own  observations  and  extended  ex 
perience-  have  led  him  to  similar  conclusions  in  regard 
to  manures  that  are  here  presented. 

Various  other  intelligent  observers  and  successful 
cultivators,  might  be  named  in  different  parts  of  our 
country,  who  have  been  led  to  adopt  the  same  conclu- 


TRANSPLANTING.  25 

sions.  The  strawberry  wants  good  wholesome  soil,  in 
good  condition ;  suitable  for  the  production  of  good 
large  crops  of  corn  and  potatoes,  only  let  all  the  soil 
be  pure  and  free  of  undecomposed  manures. 

It  cannot  be  too  often  repeated,  that  if  you  give 
them  the  best,  pure  soil ;  very  finely,  deeply  pulverize 
it,  and  place  it  in  the  lightest,  cleanest  condition,  and 
keep  it  so;  get  good  plants  of  good  varieties,  and 
never  let  any  single  plants  be  nearer  than  ten  inches 
to  any  other,  the  results  will  surpass  your  largest  ex- 
pectations. 


TRANSPLANTING. 

This  is  a  process  to  which  the  strawberry  is  most 
sensitive.  The  plant  will  live  under  almost  any  treat- 
ment, or  any  manner  or  time  of  transplanting,  but  will 
not  always  yield  a  full  supply  of  good  fruit  unless  this 
process  is  appropriately  performed.  First  we  speak  as 
to  TIME. 

For  large  plantations,  or  for  ordinary  cultivators, 
the  early  spring  is  perhaps  the  best  season ;  certainly 
it  is  the  time  when  it  can  be  the  easiest  and  most  suc- 
cessfully accomplished.  The  ground  is  soft  and  moist 
at  that  time,  and  the  weather  is  usually  favorable. 

The  next  season  generally  recommended  is  the 
month  of  September.  Plants  can  then  be  easily  ob 


26  TRANSPLANTING. 

tained,  and  after  the  cool,  moist  fall  weatlier  has  com- 
menced, the  ground  works  easily,  and  there  is  not 
much  difficulty  in  making  them  live.  There  is  one 
danger,  however,  to  be  especially  guarded  against  in 
fall  transplanting ;  that  is,  the  plants  may  not  get  so 
firmly  rooted  as  to  be  enabled  to  withstand  successfully 
the  severe  frosts  of  winter.  A  liberal  covering  of 
straw  will  assist  in  remedying  this  matter.  The  ad- 
vantages gained  over  spring  transplanting  will  be,  the 
sarth  will  not  pack  so  very  hard  around  the  plants  in 
the  fall,  as  under  the  hot  summer's  sun  and  rains,  and 
the  plants  will  not  be  so  likely  to  be  checked  in  their 
growth  as  in  the  droughts  which  often  occur  in  Juno 
and  July  or  August;  weeds  will  not  so  multiply- 
only  a  partial  crop  however  can  be  gathered  the  next 
reason. 

We  have  transplanted  strawberry  plants  successfully 
for  year^  every  month,  from  March  until  the  20th  of 
October,  without  difficulty.  With  mulching,  shade, 
and  water,  judiciously  applied,  it  can  be  well  done  at 
any  time.  For  our  own  planting,  we  prefer  the  1st  of 
July  for  several  reasons.  The  ground,  if  thoroughly 
prepared  then,  will  not  be  subject  to  become  so  hard 
packed.  The  weeds  will  not  be  so  troublesome.  If 
the  plants  get  well  started,  and  are  not  checked  in  their 
growth,  they  will  produce  very  nearly  a  full  crop  of 
fruit  the  following  spring.  We  have  found  that  these 


MANNER   OF  TRANSPLANTING.  27 

advantages  will  amply  repay  the  little  extra  care  in 
mulching,  shading  and  watering.  Ten  or  fifteen  days' 
later  planting  will,  seriously  lessen- the  first  crop,  accord- 
ing to  our  observation.  In  spring  planting,  March  will 
answer  south  of  Philadelphia,  and  last  of  April  and 
first  of  May  for  the  north.  None  but  careful,  skilful 
cultivators  however  should  transplant  in  midsummer. 

"MANNER  OF  TRANSPLANTING. 

The  best  way  undoubtedly  is,  to  take  the  first  rnnners 
as  soon  as  fairly  set,  and  remove  them  with  a  trans- 
planting trowel,  with  the  roots  and  earth  undisturbed. 
This  however  cannot  be  conveniently  done,  except  the 
plants  are  in  the  same  garden  with  the  new  bed.  Neither 
have  we  ever  found  the  first  runners  more  productive 
than  the  subsequent  ones,  unless  they  are  stronger. 

In  most  cases,  plants  come  from  a  distance,  and 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  get  as  large  a  proportion 
of  the  numerous  fibrous  roots  as  possible ;  and  in 
order  to  do  this,  the  ground  should  always  be  well 
saturated  with  water,  either  artificially  or  otherwise, 
before  the  plants  are  taken  up,  and  then  the  first 
thing  to  be  done,  is  to  mud  the  roots,  by  dipping 
tnem  in  a  little  mud-hole  made  in  the  garden  soil, 
where  the  water  has  been  poured  and  stirred,  until  it 
has  become  sufficiently  thickened  with  the  soil  to 
leave  a  good  coating  of  mud  on  the  roots  of  the  plants 


28  DISTANCE   IN   TRANSPLANTS  G. 

as  they  are  withdrawn.      This  greatly  protects  the 
plants  on  a  short  or  a  longer  transportation. 

For  transplanting,  the  earth  should  be  levelled  and 
made  as  flat  as  possible.  If  raised  into  beds  or  hills, 
it  will  invite  the  drought,  to  which  the  strawberry 
plant  has  a  decided  aversion.  The  plants  should  then 
be  set  out,  leaving  the  roots  in  as  nearly  their  natural 
spreading  condition  as  possible ;  with  the  fingers  press 
the  pure  earth  compactly  around  the  body  of  the 
plant,  being  careful  not  to  set  the  plant  too  deep.  If 
there  is  any  old  bark  or  decayed  portion  of  the  leaves 
on  the  plant,  remove  it  before  setting  out :  an  old  plant 
will  usually  renew  itself  by  sending  out  a  new  set  of 
roots  on  being  transplanted,  and  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  the  strawberry  plant,  while  it  places  its 
roots,  mainly,  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  yet  a 
portion  of  its  larger  roots  penetrate  favorable  soils  to 
the  depth  of  from  two  to  four  feet,  and  even  a  greater 
depth  in  some  cases,  as  has  been  stated. 

DISTANCE  IN  TRANSPLANTING. 

The  Alpines  and  smaller  varieties  should  always  be 
eight  to  ten  inches  apart,  while  the  larger  varieties 
should  be  allowed  ten  or  twelve  to  eighteen  inches. 
Put  one  plant  in  a  place,  and  let  no  other  remain  nearer 
than  the  above  distances,  and  it  is  not  material  to  suc- 
cess in  cultivation  whether  you  plant  in  rows,  beds,  or 


DISTANCE   IN  TKANSPL ANTING.  29 

hills,  if  you  do  not  hill  them  up.  We  often  set  out  in 
rows,  two  feet  apart,  and  leave  the  plants  one  foot  from 
each  other  in  the  rows ;  or  a  method  by  which  we  have 
enjoyed  great  success  in  producing  the  finest  fruit,  has 
been  to  prepare  a  plot  of  ground,  and  cover  it  with 
strong  plants  one  yard  apart,  and  stimulate  these  tem- 
porarily, by  a  liberal  application  of  liquid  manures  or 
soap-suds  from  the  wash,  to  send  out  runners,  which 
will  soon  supply  the  intermediate  ground  with  plants 
of  nature's  own  planting,  which  is  a  little  better  done 
than  any  one  else  can  do  it ;  care  should,  however,  be 
taken  to  spread  the  runners  so  that  the  above  distance 
of  from  eight  to  twelve  inches  can  be  preserved.  Al- 
lowing plants  to  fill  the  ground  too  closely  with  runners, 
and  permitting  those  runners  to  remain,  defeats  more 
good  crops  of  fruit  than  almost  any  other  error. 

~For  field  culture,  set  one  plant  in  a  place,  eight  inches 
to  one  foot  from  the  next,  in  rows  three  feet  apart, 
so  as  to  leave  room  for  a  horse-cultivator  to  pass  be- 
tween the  rows,  care  being  requisite  not  to  approach 
nearer  than  eight  inches  to  full  grown  plants,  particu- 
larly when  approaching  the  fruiting  season.  This  whole 
process  of  field  culture  is  the  same  in  its  general  prin- 
ciples with  that  in  the  garden ;  except,  for  the  conve- 
nience of  a  horse-cultivator  to  pass  between  them,  the 
rows  should  one  way  be  planted  the  same  distance 
apart  as  corn;  then  the  same  treatment  as  to  clean 


MULCLTING. 


cultivation,  and  even  water  and  mulching,  as  far  as  con 
nient,  is  desirable.     (See  our  article  on  that  subject.) 


MULCHINO. 

This  consists  in  covering  the  surface  of  the  ground 
with  something  that  is  not  injurious  to  the  plant,  to 
protect  it  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun  or  extreme 
cold.  From  one  to  four  inches  in  depth  is  the  usual 
custom ;  the  latter  depth  for  pear,  peach,  and  other 
fruit  trees. 

For  the  strawberry,  we  prefer,  as  soon  as  the  plants 
are  set,  at  whatever  season  of  the  year,  to  cover  the 
entire  surface  of  the  ground,  including  the  walks,  with 
tanbark,  new  or  old,  to  the  depth  of  half  an  inch  or 
one  inch,  care  being  taken  that  it  is  left  very  thin — 
only  a  slight  coating — immediately  around  the  crown 
of  the  plant.  We  have  pursued  this  plan,  and  have 
never  known  a  single  plant  injured  by  it;  on  the  con- 
trary, all  the  plants  have  been  decidedly  benefited. 
When  using  sawdust,  we  have  sometimes  been  a  little 
troubled  with  mildew,  but  never  with  tanbark.  Some 
of  our  most  intelligent  horticulturists  say  it  is  a  specific 
manure  for  the  strawberry,  which  others  deny ;  we  find 
it,  at  least,  the  best  thing  brought  to  our  notice  as  a 
mulch.  It  is  excellent  to  retain  moisture  and  keep  the 
earth  in  fine  condition  under  it ;  very  few  weeds  will 


WATER.  81 

ordinarily  trouble  us,  where  the  tan  is  one  inch  in 
thickness,  and  altogether  it  is  excellent.  Where  tan 
cannot  be  obtained,  sawdust  will  do,  if  not  applied 
too  thick.  Leaf-mould  is  very  good,  if  the  soil  is  not 
already  too  rich.  Straw  is  good,  but  green  rowen  or 
fresh-cut  grass,  if  the  seeds  are  not  ripe,  is  better  still ; 
any  thing,  in  fact,  not  injurious,  that  is  convenient  and 
adapted,  can  be  used. 


WATER. 

The  strawberry  has  a  great  relish  for  good,  clear, 
cold  water.  We  have  often  seen  them  take  a  strong 
shower-bath  at  midday,  in  the  face  of  the  hottest  sun 
in  July,  without  skrinking.  A  slight  sprinkle,  just  to 
lay  the  dust,  does  not  satisfy  them,  but  a  thorough 
soaking  is  what  they  delight  in — say  a  pailful  of  water 
to  every  six  or  eight  plants,  or  every  four  feet  square 
of  earth.  If  you  say  "this  calls  for  a  great  deal  of 
hard  work,"  we  answer  then,  do  not  repeat  it  so  often, 
but  do  it  thoroughly  whenever  attempted.  A  few 
weeks  since,  we  sent  a  friend  some  plants  of  new  and 
rare  kinds.  A  drought  prevailed,  and  we  feared  he 
would  neglect  them,  so  we  called  to  see  them,  and 
found  he  had  set  out  and  sprinkled  them  in  the  light- 
est, most  delicate  manner  possible,  and  lost  the  most 
of  them.  Another  friend  to  whom  we  gave  a  few 


32  CULTIVATION". 

plants  at  the  same  dry  time,  gave  them  a  thorough 
and  repeated  drenching,  and  saved  all  his  plants. 

A  garden  engine  is  very  convenient  in  a  strawberry 
plot,  for  watering  purposes,  or  a  stream  of  water  so 
situated  as  to  irrigate,  is  better  still.  A  water-ram, 
and  water  brought  up  in  pipes,  will  accomplish  the 
same  thing.  Ordinarily,  during  the  bearing  season, 
sufficient  rain  falls,  so  that  very  little  watering  is 
needed:  some  seasons  are  so  wet  that  no  water  is 
needed  until  the  bearing  season  is  over,  and  then  the 
plants  do  not  particularly  require  it;  but  a  drought 
will  soon  compel  the  strawberry  to  cease  bearing  in 
ordinary  soils.  The  remedy  or  preventive  is  deep  soil 
and  water,  water,  every  day,  and  sometimes  every 
night  and  morning.  The  evening,  just  at  sundown,  is 
the  best  time  to  water  plants  ;  and  in  some  cases  it  is 
desirable  that  the  water  should  have  been  exposed  to 
the  sun  and  air  before  being  applied,  but  we  do  not 
think  this  is  necessary  for  the  strawberry. 

0 
CULTIVATION. 

Most  persons  bestow,  erroneously,  most  of  their 
labor  in  raising  strawberries  on  their  cultivation.  On 
the  contrary,  if  our  directions  so  far  are  strictly  fol 
lowed,  the  work  is  mostly  done,  except  gathering  the 
fruit.  We  have  very  little  work  to  do  in  the  way  o^ 


CULTIVATION.  33 

cultivation  after  planting,  except  watering  and  occa- 
sional pulling  of  weeds  which  appear  through  the  tan, 
and  neither  of  these  ordinarily  requires  much  time  or 
labor.  They  must  be  kept  clean  and  in  good  order, 
but  we  are  very  careful  not  to  allow  the  hoe  to  be  used 
nearer  than  eight  inches  to  any  full-grown  plant,  and, 
consequently,  it  is  seldom  or  never  used  about  the 
beds  after  the  first  month's  planting.  The  reason  is, 
the  numerous  fibrous  roots  so  interlace  and  fill  the 
ground  for  a  space  of  six  or  eight  inches  around  the 
plant,  coming  so  completely  to  the  surface,  that  the  use 
of  the  hoe  will  cut  off  great  numbers  of  those  little 
roots,  and  we  are  unwilling  to  have  our  plants  maimed 
in  this  way.  It  certainly  greatly  injures  their  bearing. 
The  fork  or  spade  should  be  kept  at  the  same  distance, 
for  the  same  reason.  The  only  time  during  the  year 
we  loosen  the  soil  in  our  beds  with  the  fork,  is  imme- 
diately at  the  close  of  the  season  of  bearing,  selecting 
the  time  when  the  ground  is  moist.  And  yet,  we  re- 
peat, the  strawberries  must  be  kept  clean;  and  the 
reader  may  here  see  a  reason  for  all  the  minute  and  par- 
ticular description  we  have  given  in  the  preparation. 
It  needs  to  be  thoroughly  done,  because  it  cannot  well 
be  remedied  afterwards.  The  plants  will  not  admit  of 
freely  working  among  them,  except  with  the  hand,  if 
not  kept  at  an  unusual  distance  from  each  other,  with 
2* 


$4  FIELD   CULTURE. 

out  reducing  the  crop  of  fruit.     If  our  object  is  large 
and  abundant  fruit,  the  roots  must  not  be  disturbed. 

One  qualification  to  the  above :  When  new  plants 
are  set,  unless  prevented  by  mulching  immediately, 
we,  as  often  as  every  three  days  or  week,  for  a  month 
or  so,  hoe  or  rake  the  ground  freely,  and  always  stir 
the  soil  as  close  to  the  plants,  as  often,  and  as  much  as 
possible,  only  being  cautious  not  to  disturb  the  roots. 
On  no  account  hill  up  the  plants  in  the  cultivation,  or 
elevate  the  beds  in  good  soil. 

FIELD    CULTURE. 

Although  most  of  the  processes  herein  detailed  for 
the  garden  are  equally  appropriate  for  those  who  are 
largely  cultivating  for  market  purposes,  yet  that  class 
of  persons  are  now  becoming  so  numerous  and  impor- 
tant, particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  our  cities,  that  a 
general  article,  summing  up  the  whole  matter,  may  well 
be  prepared  for  their  especial  convenience  and  benefit. 
Some  points  are  so  essential  as  to  bear  a  distinct  repe- 
tition. 

Select  from  your  farm  as  far  as  convenient  a  rather 
ow,  cool,  moist  spot  of  ground,  with  an  open,  genial, 
oure  soil ;  somewhat  like  that  we  often  find  on  the 
margin  of  streams  of  water  or  muck  swamps,  or  bog 


FIELD   CULTURE.  35 

meadows,  or  get  something  as  near  to  this  as  you  caa 
find.  A  fine  gravelly  loam  is  preferable,  and  it  is  bet- 
ter if  the  land  has  betn  thoroughly  cultivated  with 
corn  or  potatoes  for  a  year  or  two  previous,  so  as  to 
leave  the  land  in  a  light  good  condition,  with  the 
weeds,  roots,  and  seeds  mostly  decomposed.  The  land 
should  be  well  drained  at  once,  for  it  will  pay  to  do  so. 
In  September,  on  the  removal  of  the  crop  of  corn  or 
potatoes,  plough  the  ground  well  and  subsoil  it  deep. 
Early  in  December  apply  to  each  acre  of  land  ten  or 
twelve  bushels  of  lime — old  will  do — and  two  or  three 
Dushels  of  common  salt,  and  then  with  deep  ploughing 
break  up  the  soil  again,  throwing  it  up  into  ridges  as 
far  as  the  plough  will  do  it,  so  that  in  the  most  exposed 
condition  it  may  be  well  prepared  for  the  combined 
action  of  the  snow,  frost,  air  and  light  of  the  approach- 
ing winter. 

In  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  in  order  to 
work  to  advantage,  apply  thirty  bushels  leached  or 
unleached  ashes  to  the  acre.  If  the  soil  is  poor,  or  not 
in  tolerably  good  condition,  we  would  the  fall  previous 
take  the  lime,  salt,  and  ashes  with  an  equal  quantity 
of  good  muck,  or  marl,  or  woods'  mould,  or  good  turf 
or  surface  soil  and  make  a  compost  heap.  Keep  it  moist 
and  often  stir  it,  and  apply  it  all  to  the  ground  in 
the  spring  instead  of  putting  on  the  lime  and  salt 
with  the  December  ploughing.  Perhaps  it  might  be 


36  FIELD   CULTURE. 

well,  however,  to  divide  the  lime  and  salt  and  put 
half  of  it  on  the  land  previous  to  the  December  plough- 
ing, and  the  remainder  put  into  the  compost  heap. 

If  the  land  is  too  light  and  sandy  it  will  be  benefited 
by  an  additional  moderate  application  of  clay.  If  the 
soil  is  too  heavy  add  sand  or  bog  earth ;  if  heavy 
and  poor,  put  on  a  light  coating  of  good  loam  or  muck, 
and  if  you  prefer  animal  manure,  choose  that  of  the 
cow  or  hog,  instead  of  the  horse  which  is  too  heating 
If  coarse  gravel,  add  loam.  It  will  be  the  best  econo 
rny  to  attend  thoroughly  to  all  these  things,  for  they 
will  pay  well.  Nothing  unnecessary  is  here  specified. 
The  products  per  acre  from  a  field  of  market  straw- 
berries vary  from  $100,  $200,  $400,  $1,000,  $1,300  or 
more  per  acre,  and  the  difference  is  so  great  as  amply 
to  remunerate  for  a  most  liberal  application  to  the  soil 
or  of  labor  in  the  preparation. 

As  we  have  said,  as  early  in  the  spring  as  the  ground 
is  in  good  working  order,  apply  compost,  &c.,  as  above 
directed,  and  then  immediately  plough  deep  and  as 
well  as  possible.  Then  harrow  and  cross  harrow  until 
the  soil  is  weJl  pulverized,  and  level  the  ground  and  set 
out  the  strawberry  plants,  as  has  been  stated,  one  in  a 
place  eight  or  ten  inches  apart,  in  rows  three  feet  dis- 
tant, so  that  they  can  be  cultivated  with  a  horse  culti- 
vator between  the  rows ;  beside,  while  the  plants  are 
young  all  the  weeds  should  be  removed  with  a  hoe. 


FIELD   CULTURE.  37 

care  being  taken,  as  often  stated,  not  to  disturb  the 
small  fibrous  roots  of  the  plant.  We  know  some  per- 
sons may  think  we  insist  too  much  on  this  point,  and 
we  also  know  there  are  those  who  have  gathered  fair 
but  not  large  crops  without  much  regard  to  the  careless 
use  of  the  hoe.  The  crop,  however,  will  be  so  mucn 
increased  that  we  shall  be  excused  for  so  often  repeat- 
ing that  it  will  well  repay  to  weed  by  hand  for  the 
space  of  a  few  inches  around  each  plant,  instead  of  the 
more  destructive  and  rapid  process  with  the  hoe.  Let 
it  never  be  forgotten,  however,  that  a  strawberry  plan- 
tation must  be  kept  clean  throughout  the  entire  season, 
As  we  have  said,  a  slight  covering  of  straw  in  winter, 
and  a  mulch  of  tanbark,  straw,  or  grass,  just  previous 
to  fruiting,  will  increase  the  crop. 

Some  persons,  the  first  spring  after  the  strawberry 
plants  are  set  out,  fill  up  the  intervals  of  three  feet 
between  the  rows  with  a  row  or  two  of  beets.  Inas- 
much as  the  plants  are  not  expected  to  produce  much, 
if  any,  fruit  the  same  season  when  set  in  the  spring  ; 
therefore  the  occupation  of  the  ground  in  this  way  is  a 
very  good  one. 

When  the  plants  get  an  early  strong  growth  in  the 
spring  as  we  have  recommended,  care  should  be  taken 
to  remove  the  greater  portion  of  the  numerous  runners 
which  will  strike  previous  to  the  coming  winter.  It 
is  a  very  common  and  destructive  error  to  allow  too 


58  FIELD   CULTURE. 

many  plants  to  occupy  the  ground  in  the  bearing  sea- 
son. Often  from  five  to  fifty  times  as  many  plants 
can  be  seen  on  our  strawberry  plantations  around  the 
county  as  can  bear  fruit  to  advantage.  It  not  unfre- 
quently  occurs  that  twenty  plants  on  a  foot  square  will 
scarcely  ripen  forty  diminutive  berries,  whereas  two 
well  selected  and  cultivated  plants  on  the  same  space 
will  yield  us  one  hundred  noble  berries  of  twice  the 
average  size;  we  repeat,  the  strawberry  must  have 
plenty  of  room,  light,  and  air,  to  yield  its  full  supply 
of  fruit.  The  low,  short,  stout  plants  are  the  best  to 
select  and  leave  for  fruiting.  Prepare  the  ground  by 
clearing  it,  and  prepare  the  plants  by  thinning  them 
out  in  the  fall  for  the  crop  of  fruit  the  next  season,  so 
that  in  the  spring  the  latter  will  not  be  disturbed  in 
the  process  of  perfecting  the  fruit. 

At  the  close  of  the  fruit  season  stir  up  the  ground 
with  the  cultivator,  and  prepare  it  for  new  plants 
whenever  a  renewal  is  necessary,  and  in  such  case, 
when  the  plants  have  become  strong,  run  the  cultiva- 
tor through  the  old  rows,  destroying  them  and  leaving 
the  plants  on  the  intermediate  spaces  for  bearing  fruit 
the  next  season.  Each  year  the  plant  should  be  as 
thoroughly  prepared  for  fruiting  as  in  the  new  bed. 
The  popular  varieties  for  market  cultivation  are 
Hovey's  Seedling  and  Crimson  Cone  among  the  pistil- 
late and  Large  Early  Scarlet  and  Iowa  among  the 


PRODUCTION.  39 

stainmates.  We  recommend  a  trial  for  market  pur- 
poses, and  at  first  of  course  in  a  small  way,  of  Monroe 
Scarlet,  McAvoy's  Extra  Ked,  -Moyamensing  Pine, 
and  Jenny's  Seedling. 


PRODUCTION. 

The  past  year,  1855,  was,  on  account  of  the  fre- 
quent early  rains,  an  unusually  favorable  one  for  the 
strawberry. 

The  crops  were  larger  than  usual,  and  the  markets 
generally  were  well  supplied. 

An  extended  correspondence,  personal  examination 
and  inquiry  has  been  undertaken  to  ascertain,  or  at 
least  approximate  to,  the  consumption  during  the  last 
season  in  some  of  our  principal  cities.  From  all  that 
has  been  accumulated  on  the  subject  our  estimates  are  as 
follows : 

New  York  City  47  to  54,000  bushels. 
Philadelphia       10  to  14,000       " 
Boston  9  to  11,000       " 

Cincinnati  11  to  14,000       " 

We  are  assured  that  New  York  City  received  many 
days  more  than  500,000  baskets,  or  over  3,000  bushels 
for  its  own  consumption  ,and  for  the  supply  of  its  sub- 
urbs. A  single  county  in  New  Jersey  from  a  single 
port,  over  twenty-five  miles  distant,  sent  us  by  steam- 


40  PKODUCTION. 

boats  during  one  day  last  season  200,000  baskets;  and 
several  years  ago  the  superintendent  of  the  Erie  K.  E. 
certified  to  the  secretary,  Mr.  Marsh,  that  the  evening 
train  of  that  day  brought  in  893  bushels  strawberries. 

From  all  sources  during  the  season  we  could  have 
received  scarcely  less  than  8,000,000  baskets,  which  at 
an  average  wholesale  price  of  2|  cents  per  basket,  (five 
baskets  to  the  quart)  would  make  an  aggregate  of 
$200,000.  It  should  be  remembered  that  much  of  the 
supply  of  Brooklyn  comes  through  the  New  York 
market. 

Some  single  farmers  around  New  York  are  cultivat- 
ing thirty  or  more  acres.  Cincinnati  reported  9,000 
bushels  strawberries  in  their  market  in  1851  or  '52. 

We  cannot  learn  that  the  common  crop  of  the  straw- 
berry either  around  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Boston  or 
Cincinnati  actually  exceeds  twenty-five  to  fifty  bushels 
per  acre,  although  we  have  instances  reported  around 
all  the  cities  of  100  bushels,  and  even  130  to  140 
bushels  having  been  produced  on  an  acre,  or  in  that 
proportion ;  so  that  the  returns  given  in  to  us  of  the 
avails  varies  from  $100  to  $800  per  acre,  and  the 
prices  obtained  ranges  from  12 1  cents  up  to  $1  50  per 
quart.  The  latter  price  for  the  very  earliest  taken  into 
"Washington  City  from  the  vicinity.  The  ordinary  re- 
turn for  an  acre,  in  order  to  be  satisfactory  to  the 
growers,  we  are  told  is  $200  ;  and  the  expense  of  cuJ^ 


PRODUCTION.  .  41 

tivating  $15  to  $25  per  acre,  with  an  additional  expense 
of  one  cent  per  basket,  or  $1  50  per  bushel  for  picking. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  in  order  to  supply  New 
York  and  vicinity  with  strawberries,  about  1,500  acres 
of  the  choicest  land  in  the  vicinity  is  at  present  re- 
quired, and  the  other  cities  named  about  500  acres 
each  in  proportion;  which  is  at  least  four  times  as 
much  land  as  is  either  appropriate  or  necessary  for  the 
object,  if  the  nature  and  cultivation  of  the  strawberry 
was  only  as  well  understood  as  the  raising  of  corn. 
A  crop  of  30  bushels  of  strawberries  to  the  acre,  is 
only  about  equal  in  proportion  to  a  corn  crop  of  10 
bushels  on  the  same  ground.  We  seldom  see  a  large 
strawberry  plantation  which  after  the  first  year  has  not 
many  more  plants  on  the  ground  than  can  get  light  and 
air  sufficient  to  fruit  well.  The  consequence  is,  that 
our  city  markets  are  mainly  supplied  with  inferior  fruit, 
simply  because  some  of  the  commonest  kinds  will  pro- 
duce a  little,  dwarfed,  sour  fruit,  even  under  the  worst 
treatment.  Superior  well-grown  fruit  will  easily  pro- 
duce twice  and  four  times  as  much  to  the  acre,  and 
command  from  twice  to  four  times  larger  prices  in 
our  city  markets.  Making  the  avails  and  the  dif- 
ference from  the  same  land,  to  be  25  bushels  at  12  ± 
cents  per  quart,  or  at  least  125  bushels  at  25  cents  per 
quart,  or  $1,000  or  $100  per  acre.  In  one  instance  the 
net  profits  exceed  $800,  and  in  the  others  very  little,  if 


42  KENEWAL   OF   BEDS. 

any.  One  hundred  and  twenty-five  bushels  ought  to 
be  only  an  ordinary  crop,  and  $1,000  the  product  of 
any  fair  acre  of  land. 

We  have  often  had  small  plots  of  ground  produce  in 
the  ratio  of  twice  that  amount. 

A  writer  in  1 854  in  the  May  number  of  the  Albany 
Cultivator,  from  the  old  soil  of  V^est  Haven,  Connec- 
ticut, certifies  to  having  realized  $215  from  the  sales  of 
strawberries  from  25  rods  of  ground,  or  at  the  rate  of 
$1,300  per  acre! 

In  Hovey's  Magazine,  1852,  it  is  stated  that  Mr. 
Gore,  of  Maine,  raised  on  a  bed  11  by  43  feet  at  the  rate 
of  full  300  bushels  per  acre.  How  long  in  common 
fairness  ought  men  to  enjoy  the  stewardship  of  our 
choice  land  that  is  capable  of  producing  such  results, 
when  they  only  equal  one-thirteenth  part  of  that 
amount!  We  would  not  dispossess  them  of  their 
rights,  but  we  beg  of  them  to  place  the  occupation  of 
the  land  by  sale  or  otherwise  in  more  capable  and  effi- 
cient hands. 


RENEWAL   OP   BEDS. 

This  should  be  done  once  in  three  or  four 
and  the  same  ground  should  be  planted  with  corn  or 
potatoes  for  one  season,  and  receive  an  application  of 
lime,  ashes,  and  salt,  as  advised  in  the  article  on  the 


WINTER   PROTECTION.  43 

preparation  of  the  ground,  before  it  is  again  used  for 
strawberries.  The  bed  might  be  made  to  bear  well, 
by  a  careful  renewal  of  the  old  .plants  by  their  run- 
ners, for  ten  or  a  dozen  years,  but  this  would  require 
rather  more  skill  in  cultivation  than  most  persons 
possess. 

Every  year  or  two,  if  a  strong  runner  has  struck 
itself  beside  an  old  plant,  we  pull  up  the  old  plant  in- 
stead of  the  runner,  and  are  constantly  thus  renewing 
them.  We  always  leave  the  best  plants.  The  field 
cultivator  has  only  to  clean  off  the  weeds,  and  prepare 
the  soil  in  the  spaces  of  three  feet  between  the  rows ; 
allow  the  runners  to  cover  that  ground;  then  drive 
the  cultivator  or  plough  through,  turning  under  the 
old  row  of  plants ;  thin  out  the  new  ones  to  proper 
distances,  and  his  system  of  renewal  is  complete. 


WINTER   PROTECTION. 

Our  experience  is  in  favor  of  a  slight  winter  protec- 
tion. It  co<4s  comparatively  but  little  time  or  expense, 
on  the  approach  of  severe  winter  weather,  to  hastily 
scatter  a  thin  coat  of  straw  or  old  leaves  over  the 
plants ;  and  they  come  out  in  so  much  better  condition 
in  the  spring,  and  even  the  hardiest  kinds  bear  so 
much  better  crops  for  it,  that  we  never  neglect  it. 
Like  mulching,  almost  any  thing  free  from  weeds,  that 


44  WINTER   PROTECTION. 

will  not  smother  them  or  mildew,  will  answer  the 
purpose,  but  clean  straw  is  preferable,  except  they 
need  the  decaying  leaves. 

Some  years  ago,  we  had  an  aged  neighbor,  who 
stood  almost  unrivalled  in  the  cultivation  of  the  straw- 
berry. One  season  he  set  out,  on  the  first  of  July, 
about  one-fourth  of  an  acre  of  fine  Hovey's  Seedlings. 
He  almost  constantly  and  carefully  worked  among 
them  with  the  hoe,  the  rake,  and  water-pot,  and  I 
never  saw  a  plot  of  so  fine  strawberry -plants  as  these 
had  become  on  the  approach  of  winter. 

The  old  man  was  "  very  much  set  in  his  way,"  and 
among  the  things  his  creed  discarded,  was  mulching 
strawberries;  so,  against  my  repeated  remonstrances, 
he  left  them  for  the  winter  without  mulching,  with  his 
usual  preparation,  which  consisted  in  placing  a  half 
inch  deep  of  good  earth  around  each  plant,  in  a  circuit, 
to  the  width  of  six  or  eight  inches,  leaving  the  surface, 
scolloped  inwards  towards  the  centre  of  the  plant. 
The  winter  proved  a  severe  one,  and  the  old  man  was 
saddened  in  the  spring,  to  find  his  fine  plants  drawn 
out  of  the  ground  to  the  length  of  three  and  four 
inches,  and  laid  flat  on  the  earth.  One-tenth  part  of 
the  labor  he  bestowed  in  hilling  his  plants  for  winter, 
appropriated  to  covering  them  with  a  little  loose  straw, 
would  have  saved  them  all. 


EVER- BEARING  STRAWBERRIES.  45 


EVEK-BEARINa  STRAWBERRIES- 

The  Bush.  Alpines  have  always  borne  a  succession 
of  crops  during  the  season,  when  planted  in  the  north- 
ern shade  of  a  fence,  and  well  taken  care  of,  watered, 
mulched,  &c. 

Some  three  or  four  years  ago,  the  New  Orleans  Pica- 
yune announced  that  Mr.  Henry  Lawrence,  a  gentle- 
man of  that  city,  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  seed- 
ling, called  the  "  Crescent  Seedling"  which  bore  an 
abundance  of  large  fruit  for  a  continuous  period  of  six 
or  eight  months  or  more,  from  March  to  December. 
We  wrote  to  Mr.  Lawrence,  and  his  answer  confirmed 
all  the  paper  had  stated ;  and  he  sent  us  in  succession 
four  or  five  different  importations  of  plants  of  the 
Crescent  Seedling,  by  the  steamer  and  otherwise,  until 
at  last  we  succeeded  in  causing  them  to  grow,  and 
awaited  their  bearing  season,  when,  alas!  they  only 
bore  a  moderate  crop,  and  ceased  bearing  as  early  as 
any  other  variety  in  our  ground;  thus  proving  a 
failure,  as  far  as  perpetual  bearing  was  concerned, 
under  our  ordinary  mode  of  cultivation.  The  plant 
has  extraordinary  vigor,  a  rampant  staminate,  exceed- 
ing all  varieties  we  hr^e  ever  seen  in  multiplying  its 
runners.  The  experiment  convinced  us  that  it  was 


46  EVER-BEARING    STRAWBERRIES. 

not  the  variety,  so  much  as  the  cultivation,  and  soil 
and  climate,  which  gave  it  its  continual  bearing  pro- 
perties. Some  experiments  since  made  with  this  va- 
riety, in  soils  so  reduced  as  to  be  little  else  than  coarse 
sand,  favor  this  idea.  Mr.  Lawrence  wrote  me  at  the 
first,  that  he  reduced  his  soil  by  three-fourths  of  pure 
river-sand ;  and,  although  I  reduced  my  garden-soil 
considerably,  yet  it  remained  still  very  much  too  rich 
for  the  Crescent  Seedling  to  develop  its  perpetual  pro 
perties.  The  various  experiments,  however,  were  by 
no  means  lost. 

About  this  time,  it  was  announced  by  the  press  that 
Charles  A.  Peabody,  Esq.,  the  horticultural  editor  of 
the  Soil  of  the  South,  near  Columbus,  Georgia,  had  suc- 
ceeded, by  reducing  the  soil,  and  with  plenty  of  water, 
in  making  two  well-known  northern  varieties — the 
Large  Early  Scarlet,  and  Hovey's  Seedling — develop 
perpetual  bearing  qualities  under  the  hot  summer's  sun 
in  Georgia,  furnishing  fruit  in  quantities,  from  March 
till  January.  If  this  was  the  case  in  Georgia  and  New 
Orleans,  could  we  not  hope,  by  similar  means,  to 
extend  our  strawberry  season  north,  during  the  months 
of  July,  August,  into  September  ?  In  October  last,  in 
an  interview  with  Mr.  Peabody,  he  gave  it  as  his 
deliberate  opinion  that,  by  the  process  he  detailed  and 
pursued,  we  could  easily  have  an  abundance  of  fruit 
from  our  strawberry  vines  until  frost  came.  We  take 


EVER-BEARING    STRAWBERRIES.  47 

pleasure  in  inserting  Mr.  Peabody's  plan  and  directions 
in  full,  in  his  interesting  articles,  in  the  Appendix,  A. 

On  the  20th  December  last,  Mr.'Peabody  took  up  a 
few  plants  in  fruit  from  his  garden,  and  placed  them, 
with  the  soil  attached,  in  a  basket,  and  sent  them  by 
express  to  Messrs.  J.  M.  Thorburn  &  Co.,  13  John 
street,  New  York.  On  their  arrival,  on  Christmas 
Day,  they  were  well  loaded  with  large,  ripe  ilovey's 
and  Early  Scarlets,  together  with  a  large  variety  of 
green  fruit,  of  all  sizes,  from  that  of  a  pea  upwards  to 
full-grown  berries.  They  remained  on  exhibition  in 
their  windows  some  two  weeks,  when  they  were 
politely  handed  to  us,  and  we  had  them  potted  in  a 
greenhouse,  with  soil  composed  mostly  of  sand.  The 
plants  all  grew  finely ;  in  March  they  came  into  blos- 
som, and  in  May  into  ripe  fruit.  The  foliage  was  very 
small,  but  healthy.  They  continued  in  blossom  and 
bearing  during  the  months  of  May,  June,  and  July, 
without  sending  out  a  single  runner,  and  some  of  the 
plants  at  the  present  time  (the  14th  of  August)  are  in 
blossom,  and  have  not  started  a  runner.  On  one  of 
the  pots  which  had  no  runners  started,  we  placed  a 
very  little  rich  soil,  and  in  a  week  the  plant  threw  up 
vigorous  runners,  caused  by  the  slight  addition  to  the 
richness  of  the  soil. 

The  inference  we  draw  from  all  this  is,  that  no 
variety  is  ever-bearing  under  our  usual  manner  oi 


SEXUAL   CHARACTER. 

treatment,  but  that  most  kinds  can  be  so  trained,  that, 
with  a  soil  reduced  largely  enough  with  sand,  and 
only  vegetable  manures  applied,  and  plenty  of  water, 
and  mulching  when  needed,  they  will  continue  to  pro- 
duce fruit  until  the  approach  of  frost.  The  whole 
tendency  of  our  experiments  in  strawberries  is  in  this 
direction.  Professor  Page  has,  in  Washington  City,  it 
is  stated,  induced  the  Alice  Maude  to  adopt  the  ever- 
bearing habit.  E.  P.  Brooks,  Esq.,  of  Elmira,  N.  Y., 
had  the  Hautboys  in  bearing  in  the  open  garden  in 
September  and  even  in  December,  1855. 

Amateurs  and  others  will  do  well  to  try  the  experi- 
ment on  a  small  scale,  until  they  perfectly  succeed ; 
and  then  the  large  price  of  a  dollar  or  more  per  quart, 
which  the  markets  of  New  York,  Boston,  and  Phila- 
delphia will  pay  for  such  fruits  in  August,  will  amply 
repay  for  the  production  on  a  large  scale.  Learn  well, 
by  observation,  all  the  habits  and  tendencies  of  the 
strawberry  in  this  regard,  and  we  think  the  thing  can 
be  easily  accomplished. 


SEXUAL    CHARACTER. 

We  now  come  to  the  great  battle-ground  of  the 
giants,  but  will  not  enter  the  lists,  if  we  may  be  per- 
mitted to  quietly  state  a  few  things  as  our  opinion, 
without  intending  to  reflect  upon,  or  having  even  re- 


SEXUAL   CHARACTER.  49 

mote  reference  to,  any  persons.  It  is  very  easy  to  see 
the  manner  in  which  some  have  been  led  into  error, 
viz. :  the  mixture,  well-nigh  universal,  of  different  kinds 
of  strawberries — an  error  productive  of  untold  injury 
to  successful  cultivation.  We  have  never  seen  two 
kinds  of  strawberry  that  might  safely  run  in  the  same 
bed.  On  no  account  suffer  it.  The  poorest  kind  will 
multiply  its  runners  the  most  rapidly,  and  drive  the 
well-bearing  plants  from  the  bed ;  particularly  is  this 
the  case,  where  that  poor  kind  is  a  staminate.  We 
think  the  direction  given  by  the  late  Mr.  Downing  and 
others,  to  place  the  staminates  on  each  end  of  the  same 
bed,  with  the  pistillates  in  the  centre,  an  unfortunate 
one,  for  the  beds  and  the  plants  are  usually  very  soon 
destroyed  in  that  way.  We  are  very  particular  to 
place  our  staminates  a  greater  distance  from  the  pistil- 
lates: if  30  feet  to  60  feet  off,  it  is  better.  The  bees 
and  wind  carry  the  pollen,  and  opposite  sides  of  the 
garden,  if  the  distance  is  100  feet,  will,  we  think,  be 
found  near  enough  to  answer  the  same  purpose. 
Neither  would  we  allow  pistillates,  such  as  Hovey's 
Seedling  and  Burr's  New  Pine,  to  run  together,  but 
be  very  particular  to  keep  each  kind  distinct  and 
apart.  We  think  it  is  Mr.  Longworth  who  has  stated, 
that  if  we  place  a  single  staminate  plant,  like  the  Large 
Early  Scarlet,  in  the  centre  of  a  productive  bed  of  a 
pure  pistillate  variety,  in  less  than  two  or  three  years, 
3 


50  SEXUAL   CHARACTER. 

that  one  plant  will  drive  every  good  fruit-bearing  plant 
out  of  the  bed. 

This  is  one  reason  why  so  many  strawberry  beds 
fail  after  the  first  bearing  season ;  so  we  repeat  in  the 
strongest  manner,  get  pure  plants — difficult,  we  know 
— and  on  no  account  permit  any  two  kinds  to  run 
together;  place  boards  on  edge  between  them,  or  in 
some  way  protect  them  from  each  other. 

After  this  episode  on  a  very  practical  point,  we  may 
be  permitted  to  say,  there  are  strawberry  plants  we 
call  staminate,  because  they  exhibit  to  the  eye  very 
distinct  stamens.  Our  plate  will  illustrate  this.  An- 
other kind  we  call  pistillate,  because  the  naked  eye 
can  discover  developed  in  the  blossom  only  the  pistils. 
Most  of  our  intelligent  horticulturists  assure  us,  that 
the  best  staminates  will  only  produce  a  part  of  a  fair 
crop  of  fruit,  while  the  pistillate  varieties  will  produce 
no  perfect  fruit  at  all,  without  being  impregnated  by 
some  staminates  in  the  vicinity ;  but  when  thus  im- 
pregnated, the  pistillates  produce  an  abundance  of  the 
finest  fruit. 

The  interesting  and  accurate  experiment  of  Mr. 
Huntsman,  in  the  Appendix,  C,  sets  this  matter  in  a 
very  clear  light. 

Some  of  the  staminates  of  recent  introduction,  like 
Walker's  Seedling  and  Longworth's  Prolific,  are  so 
very  desirable,  that  every  cultivator  should  have  one 


SEXUAL   CHARACTER.  51 

or  both :  it  is,  therefore,  only  important  to  notice  tho 
presence  of  the  staminates  in  every  collection  of  varie- 
ties, keep  them  distinct,  and  no  sacrifice  is  required 
to  conform  to  this  theory,  which  seems  to  be  pretty 
universally  established.  Mr.  Longworth's  article  in 
the  Appendix,  D,  gives  an  interesting  account  of  its 
discovery. 

Another  series  of  plants  are  called  Hermaphrodite — 
like  Longworth's  Prolific — because  both  stamens  and 
pistils  are  in  a  greater  or  less  extent  developed,  and 
they  are  represented  to  bear  well,  being  alone. 

The  great  war  that  has  raged  so  fiercely  on  the  bor- 
ders of  the  strawberry  kingdom  during  the  past  year 
or  two,  has  been  on  the  point,  whether  staminates  evei 
cnange  to  pistillates,  or  vice  versd.  For  many  years 
we  have  noticed,  with  scrupulous  care,  these  distinct 
characteristics  of  the  various  strawberries  when  in 
blossom,  and  we  have  never  seen  the  first  symptoms 


Fia.  1.  Fia.  2.  Fio  8. 

Fig.  1.  A  perfect  flower  famished  with  stamens  and  pistils,    a.  the  BfeunouB, 
b.  the  pistils,  hermaphrodite. 
Fig.  2.  A  stamlnate  or  male  flower. 
Fig.  3.  A  pistillate  or  female  flowor. 


SEXUAL   CHARACTER. 


FIG.  4. 

Fig  4  A  perfect  flower,  with  a  stamen  and  pistil  detached,    a,  the  anther. 
&,  the  filament,    p,  the  pistil. 

of  change  in  any  variety.  We  do  not  know  that  a 
change  in  open-air  cultivation  is  now  much  contended 
for  from  any  quarter.  We  think  the  mixing  of  plants 
causes  staminate  and  pistillate  blossoms  to  be  seen 
together.  In  forcing,  we  are  told,  by  high  authority, 
that  some  plants,  like  the  melon,  &c.,  change  their 
sexual  character,  and  why  not  the  strawberry  ?  We 
do  not  know  that  this  point,  that  the  strawberrv  does 
so,  has  yet  been  fully  established. 

The  English  varieties  are  mostly  stammates,  and 
bear  fruit  of  extraordinary  size  and  flavor ;  but  we 
think  not  in  so  large  quantities  as  some  of  our  pistil- 
lates.  Certainly  all  the  English  staminates  prove  com- 
paratively only  second-rate  in  our  soil  and  climate. 


FORCING.  53 


FOKCING. 

On  this  point  our  experience  is  very  limited,  having 
been  confined  to  small  experiments  during  the  past 
winter :  we  therefore  give  the  best  information  we 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  from  the  highest  English 
authorities. 

In  the  London  Gardener's  Chronicle,  edited  in  the 
Horticultural  Department  by  Professor  Lindley,  we 
find  the  following  directions  from  that  most  eminent 
horticulturist,  Mr.  Paxton : 

"  Select  for  this  purpose,  in  the  middle  of  August, 
a  sufficient  number  of  the  best  runners  from  approved 
kinds  to  have  choice  from,  and  plant  them  six  inches 
apart,  in  beds,  upon  a  strong  border  in  a  dry  and  shel- 
tered situation.  As  soon  as  the  leaves  have  withered, 
mulch  them  lightly  with  well-rotted  manure,  and  if 
very  severe  weather  occur,  protect  them  for  the  time 
with  fern  or  litter.  They  must  be  kept  the  following 
spring  free  from  weeds  and  runners,  removing  also 
any  flowers  as  they  appear.  Towards  the  latter  .end 
of  May  or  beginning  of  June,  whenever  dull  or  rainy 
weather  may  occur,  remove  them  carefully  into  forty- 
eight-sized  pots.  It  is  optional  with  the  grower, 
whether  one,  two,  or  three  plants  are  put  in  one  pot, 


54:  FORCING. 

according  to  his  object  being  quality  or  quantity;  but 
we,  desiring  fine  fruit  in  preference  to  number,  only 
place  one  of  the  strongest  or  two  of  the  weaker  in  one 
pot,  using  enriched  melon  soil  or  turfy  loam.  Place 
them,  when  potted,  in  a  situation  where  they  can  be 
readily  shaded  for  a  short  time,  and  receive  regular 
supplies  of  water  if  necessary.  About  the  latter  end 
of  July,  or  early  in  August,  these  pots  will  be  filled 
with  roots,  when  the  plants  must  be  repotted  into  flat 
thirty-two-sized  pots,  usually  termed  strawberry  pots, 
and  at  this  time  plunged  in  old  tan  or  coal  ashes.  The 
best  manner  of  plunging  them  we  find  to  be,  forming 
beds  wide  enough  to  contain  five  rows  of  pots,  when 
plunged,  upon  a  hard  or  gravelly  surface,  to  prevent 
them  rooting  through,  the  sides  supported  by  slabs  of 
the  same  width  as  the  depth  of  the  pots,  and  filling 
them  up  with  old  tan  or  ashes  ;  the  plants  remain  here 
until  wanted  to  take  in,  and  are  easily  protected  from 
severe  frosts.  It  will  be  found  an  excellent  plan  to 
preserve  the  latest  forced  plants,  which  are  not  much 
exhausted,  for  forcing  the  first  the  next  season ;  these, 
from  their  long  period  of  rest,  and  well-ripened  buds, 
are  predisposed  to  break  earlier  and  stronger  than  the 
others ;  some  of  them,  if  the  autumn  is  moist,  will  be 
excited,  and  produce  flowers,  which  must  be  imme- 
diately pinched  out ;  they  should  have  their  balls 
carefully  reduced,  and  be  repotted  in  larger  pots  early 


FORCING.  55 

in  August,  protecting  them  from  the  late  autumnal 
rains,  and  from  frost." 

"  For  succession,"  Mr.  Paxton  says,  "strong  runners 
are  taken  up  in  September,  and  planted  about  six 
inches  apart,  in  manured  and  well-prepared  beds,  four 
feet  wide,  in  a  somewhat  sheltered  situation ;  there 
they  are  allowed  to  remain  until  the  following  July, 
during  which  period  they  must  be  kept  very  clean 
from  weeds,  have  the  flowers  and  runners  regularly 
pinched  off,  and  be  watered  whenever  likely  to  suffer 
from  drought.  About  the  middle  of  July  they  are 
potted  in  small  thirty-two-sized  pots,  two  plants  in  a 
pot,  taking  the  greatest  care  that  neither  roots  nor 
leaves  are  damaged  in  the  operation,  and  an  important 
part  of  it  is  to  press  the  earth  firmly  about  them ;  the 
soil  used  is  two  parts  loam  to  one  of  well-rotted  dung. 
Beds  which  will  hold  five  or  six  rows  of  pots  are  then 
formed  in  the  following  manner :  Level  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  and  spread  upon  it  a  layer  of  coal  ashes ; 
above  which  must  be  nailed  firmly  slabs,  or  any  rough 
boards,  as  wide  as  the  depth  of  the  pots,  which  are 
then  to  be  plunged  to  the  rim  in  spent  bark  or  ashes. 
All  that  they  will  here  require  is  attention  to  watering 
when  necessary,  and  a  slight  protection  with  fern,  or 
other  light  covering,  during  severe  frosty  weather.  I 
always  preserved  from  300  to  400  of  the  latest  forced 
plants  of  the  above  description,  and  after  having  care- 


56  FORCING. 

fully  reduced  their  balls,  repot  them  in  large  thirty- 
two-sized  pots  in  July,  treating  them  afterwards  pre- 
cisely as  the  others.  I  find  these,  by  having  their  buds 
formed  early,  (through  the  slightest  forcing  they  have 
received),  and  becoming  very  strong,  are  admirably 
adapted  for  the  first  crop,  and  always  repay  me  for  the 
extra  trouble.  Begin  forcing  with  a  temperature  of 
40°,  increasing  to  50°  when  in  bloom,  and  to  55°  when 
ripening." 

"Mr.  Brown,  gardener  to  Lord  Southampton,  at 
"Whittlebury  Lodge,  near  Towcester,  says,  that  Mr. 
Paxton's  method  of  preparing  strawberry  plants  for 
forcing  is  a  good  one  where  time  and  trouble  are  of 
no  consequence :  but  for  the  last  fifteen  years  he  has 
adopted  a  plan  which  answers  well,  and  by  which 
good  strong  plants  are  procured  in  one  month  from 
the  present  year's  runners. 

"The  compost  used  in  good  strong  loam,  well  mixed 
with  rotten  dung  from  the  hot-bed  linings;  twenty- 
four-sized  pots  are  the  best  for  Keene's  Seedlings,  and 
thirty-twos  for  Grove  End  Scarlets.  The  latter  variety 
answers  for  early  forcing  better  than  any  other  sort, 
when  strawberries  are  wanted  by  the  end  of  March. 

"  Having  filled  the  pots  with  the  compost,  they  are 
removed  at  once  to  the  strawberry  quarters,  and  ar- 
ranged on  each  side  of  the  rows,  among  the  runners. 
The  middle  of  July,  when  the  plants  are  emitting 


SEEDLINGS.  57 

roots,  is  the  proper  time  to  begin  the  opeiation  of  layer- 
ing: having  previously  prepared  a  quantity  of  pegs,  the 
runners  that  are  rooted  into  the-  ground  are  carefully 
removed,  and  their  roots  inserted  in  the  pots  and 
pegged  down.  Put  three  plants  into  the  twenty-four 
pots,  and  one  in  the  thirty-twos ;  they  immediately 
begin  growing,  being  supported  by  the  mother  plant, 
and  will  only  require  occasional  watering  in  dry 
weather. 

"  When  the  plants  are  well  rooted,  which  is  in 
about  one  month,  detach  them  from  the  old  plants, 
and  remove  to  their  winter-quarters. 

"  Beds  are  prepared  for  them  with  a  bottom  of  coal 
ashes,  and  they  are  plunged  in  old  tan  ;  each  bed  sur- 
rounded with  a  stratum  of  coal  ashes  six  inches  wide, 
and  as  high  as  the  top  of  the  pots,  which  prevents 
worms  from  working  amongst  them." 


SEEDLINGS. 

Since  the  introduction  of  Hovey's  Seedling,  this 
department  of  strawberry  culture  has  had  new  life  and 
vigor  infused  into  it,  and  has  resulted  in  affording 
high  gratification  to  those  engaged  in  it,  and  proved 
of  decided  benefit  to  our  country. 

Phis  fruit  is  so  soon  and  so  easily  raised  from  seed, 
that  the  process  invites  to  a  very  attractive  series  of 


58  CLASSIFICATION. 

experiments.  Almost  any  one  can  experiment  in  a 
small  way ;  and  the  person  who  shall  produce  a 
strawberry  of  the  size  of  Hovey 's  Seedling,  or  of  the 
size  and  productiveness  of  McAvoy's  Extra  Red,  com- 
bined with  the  exquisite  flavor  of  Burr's  New  Pine, 
will  be  a  benefactor. 

Perhaps  the  easiest  way  is  to  select  the  largest  ripe 
berries  of  the  best  class  of  pistillates,  raised  in  close 
proximity  to  one  of  the  best  staminates,  and  crush 
them  in  a  bed  of  pure  sand,  mix  them,  and  let  the 
seeds  dry  and  ripen  for  two  weeks  or  a  month ;  then 
sow  them  in  light  soil,  in  a  partially  shaded  spot  in  the 
garden,  carefully  water,  and  in  winter  protect  them 
with  a  covering  of  straw ;  in  spring  transplant  them, 
one  plant  in  a  place  two  feet  apart ;  carefully  remove 
all  runners  until  the  plants  have  borne ;  select  the  best 
for  further  trial,  and  throw  the  rest  away.  A  better 
way,  if  convenient,  is  to  sow  the  seeds  and  sand  in  a 
cold  frame,  provided  in  a  northern  exposure,  and 
transplant  as  above  directed. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

Mr.  Elliott  says,  "  Authors  have  classed  the  straw- 
berry as  SCARLETS,  the  original  type  being  our  wild 
strawberry ;  PINES  originating  from  the  Pine  or 
Surinam  strawberry ;  WOODS  and  ALPINES  from  the 


CLASSIFICATION.  59 

common  wood  strawberry  of  Europe ;  HAUTBOIS,  OT 
High-wood  from  Bohemia ;  CHILI,  from  South  America. 

"The  SCARLETS  are  designated. in  their  character  by 
small  flowers ;  long,  thin,  light-green,  sharply  serrate 
leaves ;  acid  or  sub-acid  fruit,  of  bright  scarlet  color, 
with  seeds  deeply  imbedded."  The  Large  Early  Scar- 
let, Methven,  Duke  of  Kent,  and  others,  are  of  this 
class,  and  yet  the  flowers  of  the  first  two  are  rather  large. 

"  The  PINES  are  designated  by  large  flowers;  broad, 
dark-green  leaves ;  fruit  of  pineapple  flavor,  and  gene- 
rally soft  in  texture ;  seeds  slightly  imbedded." 
Hovey's,  Black  Prince,  Burr's  New  Pine,  British 
Queen,  &c.,  are  of  this  class,  and  yet  Hovey's  and 
New  Pine  have  quite  small  flowers :  the  two  others 
are  large. 

"  The  ALPINES  and  WOODS  have  small  flowers,  per- 
fect in  their  organs;  small,  thin,  light-green  leaves; 
fruit  small,  sweet,  and  separating  freely  from  the 
calyx. 

"  The  HAUTBOIS  have  large,  pale-green  leaves,  on 
tall  foot-stalks,  the  fruit-stalk  tall  and  erect,  the  fruit 
of  a  dull  red  or  purplish  color. 

"The  CHILI,  designated  by  hairy,  thick,  obtusely 
serrate  leaves,  fruit  pale  red  and  insipid. 

"  The  GREEN  Strawberries  have  light-green  foliage, 
plaited  fruit,  solid  flesh,  so  unworthy  cultivation  aa 
rarely  t/^  be  found  in  this  country. 


GO  SELECTION   OF  VARIETIES. 

"  We  have  dropped  the  arrangement  into  classes  in 
order." 

The  above  classification  is  a  distinct  one,  but  we  do 
not  think  quite  correct,  neither  can  we  find  or  make 
one  that  is  both  distinct  and  correct. 


SELECTION    OF    VARIETIES. 

This  is  a  point  of  no  small  difficulty.  One  person 
wishes  only  the  finest  flavored  varieties  for  his  own 
table,  of  which  Burr's  New  Pine  and  Swainstone's 
Seedling^are  the  head ;  another  wishes  all  the  showy 
and  fancy  varieties,  such  as  the  Bicton  Pine,  Black 
Prince,  Alice  Maude,  &c. ;  another,  still,  cultivates  for 
market,  and  wants  large,  bright-colored,  solid-fleshed, 
productive  fruit,  like  McAvoy's  Extra  Ked,  Moya- 
mensing  Pine,  and  Walker's  Seedling.  Again,  the 
manner  of  the  cultivation  of  some  persons  will  con- 
form to  some  varieties,  and  be  opposed  to  others,  per- 
haps superior ;  or  some  soils  and  climates  are  naturally 
adapted  to  some  varieties,  and  unadapted  to  others,  so 
that  the  custom  we  have  adopted  in  years  past,  we 
would  recommend  to  those  going  into  the  cultivation 
of  the  strawberry,  viz. :  Obtain  a  plant  or  two  of 
several  of  the  best  varieties  named,  and  cultivate  them 
experimentally  for  two  or  three  years,  and  then  select 
the  most  successful  ones  and  discard  the  othera 


CULTIVATION    OF   VARIETIES.  61 

Another  difficulty  arises  from  the  new  developments 
constantly  making,  which  tends  to  evalt  a  neglected 
variety  in  some  sections  of  our  country,  and  depress  a 
favorite  one  in  other  parts,  so  that  we  shall,  it  is  pro- 
bable, in  future  editions  take  the  liberty  of  amending 
or  changing  our  opinions  respecting  some  of  the  differ- 
ent varieties  named,  as  time  and  enlarged  experience 
shall  demand. 

Another  point  of  delicacy  still  arises,  from  the  fact 
that  many  of  our  friends  have  produced  seedlings  of 
which,  they  think  and  speak  in  the  highest  terms ;  but 
from  what  little  we  have  seen  of  them,  and  their  trial 
being  almost  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  origina- 
lors,  we  do  not  feel  authorized  to  speak  of  them  pro 
or  con;  besides,  many  seedlings  are  constantly  pro- 
duced by  our  nurserymen,  some  good,  and  many  not 
so  good,  who  cultivate  them  frequently,  as  they  do 
their  plants  for  sale,  in  crowded  beds  or  even  in  com- 
pact masses,  or  in  the  partial  shade  of  trees ;or  shrub- 
bery, on  old  soil,  so  that  their  mode  of  trial  is  often 
of  little  value  in  developing  or  determining  the  real 
character  of  the  plant. 

Some  varieties  we  do  not  name  will  doubtless  prove 
superior,  and  we  would  not  intimate  that  some  of  the 
Varieties  we  are  not  acquainted  with  may  not  prove  of 
the  first  class. 

We  shall  speak  mainly  and  freely  our  own  experi- 


62  SELECTION    OF   VARIETIES. 

ence  and  observations  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  differ- 
ent kinds  as  manifested  to  us  during  the  last  ten  or 
twelve  years  or  less,  and  in  a  plain,  distinct  manner, 
give  our  present  views  of  them,  not  being  confined  to 
or  having  much  reference  to  the  usual  condensed  po- 
mological  descriptions  or  classifications,  which  we  think 
are  not  so  important  to  the  popular  mind,  and  we  are 
not  writing  a  work  to  instruct  botanists  or  learned 
pomologists.  • 

The  first  six  varieties  named  and  described  would, 
all  things  considered,  be  our  first  choice  in  a  selection 
confined  to  that  number.  The  next  twelve  will  follow 
very  nearly,  not  entirely,  in  their  regular  order  as  our 
next  choice,  reference  being  had  to  the  particular  de- 
scriptions for  the  prominent  characteristics  of  each,  as 
fitted  for  the  amateur,  the  family,  or  the  market-man. 

M«AVOY'S  SUPERIOR, 

The  new  $100  prize  seedling  of  the  Cincinnati  Horti- 
cultural Society  in  1851.  It  was  originated  in  that 
city  by  Mr.  D.  McAvoy,  in  1848,  on  loamy  clay 
soil  underlaid  with  limestone,  and  was  called  out  by 
the  offer  of  a  premium  of  $100  by  that  Society,  at 
the  instance  of  that  energetic  horticulturist,  Nicholas 
Longworth,  Esq.,  for  a  pistillate  strawberry  which 
should  prove,  on  a  four  years'  trial,  to  surpass  all  other 
known  varieties  in  size,  flavor,  an  1  productiveness. 


SELECTION  OF  VARIETIES. 
MCAVOY'S  SUPERIOR. 


63 


FIG.  1 


FIG.  2 


The  committee  concluding  that  this  fulfilled  the  condi- 
tions, reported  in  its  favor,  and  the  report  was  adopted 
by  the  Society.  In  September,  1851,  we  obtained  two 
plants,  and  in  so  far  as  our  observation  of  it  has  ex- 
tended in  our  own  and  several  other  gardens,  in  differ- 
ent portions,  of  our  country  it  is  superior,  in  average 
size  and  productiveness,  to  any  other  variety  we  have 
seen ;  and  while  it  is  good,  and  when  properly  ripened 
of  high  flavor  and  delicious,  yet  we  do  not  think  it 
equals,  much  less  surpasses,  Burr's  New  Pine  in  flavor. 
It  is  pistillate,  hardy,  vigorous,  dark  serrated  leaf,  long 
foot-stalks,  trusses  of  fruit  full  and  usually  well  formed, 
but  occasionally  a  berry  not  entirely  filled  out ;  the 
nanners  are  not  so  numerous  as  to  be  troublesome 


64  SELECTION   OF   VARIETIES. 

fruit  very  large,  often  over  five  inches  in  circumference, 
rich  dark  color  until  over-ripe ;  irregular,  conical, 
roundish ;  large  seeds,  slightly  sunk;  flesh  crimson  and 
white,  tender,  juicy,  with  a  core  of  rather  open  and 
coarse  texture. 

Eipens  medium  season,  and  rather  too  tender  for  a 
market  fruit,  except  for  short  carriage  distance. 

HOVEY'S  SEEDLING. 

This  has  been  truly  called  a  noble  fruit,  and  is  an 
honor  to  the  originator,  Mr.  C.  M.  Hovey,  of  Boston. 
It  has  undoubtedly  taken  more  prizes  in  the  various 
Horticultural  Exhibitions  of  our  country,  from  Maine 
to  Louisiana,  than  any  other  variety,  and  it  retains  the 
same  position  at  the  present  time,  although  it  is  not, 
equal  in  flavor  to  Burr's  New  Pine  and  others,  or  of 
the  average  size  of  McAvoy's  Superior  and  some  other 
varieties ;  and  in  almost  every  quarter,  we  hear  more 
or  less  complaints  of  its  fickleness  in  bearing,  mingled 
with  the  strongest  approvals  of  its  productiveness. 

Notwithstanding  all  murmurs,  its  flavor  is  good 
when  well  ripened ;  it  is  too  often  picked  and  tasted 
when  first  colored  and  unripe ;  and  some  of  its  berries 
so  surpass  all  other  varieties  in  size — often  five  and 
six  and  sometimes  over  eight  inches  in  circumference — 
as  to  carry  along  the  judges  at  our  exhibitions;  and  the 
size  under  good  cultivation  always  proves  satisfactory. 


SELECTION    OF  VARIETIES. 


65 


FIG.  3. 


We  have,  in  times  past,  been  embarrassed  by  its 
failure  in  bearing,  but  we  are  inclined  to  think  it  was 
in  a  great  measure  owing  to  pur  want  of  knowledge  of 
its  habits,  and  consequently  erroneous  cultivation.  It 


66  SELECTION    OF    VAHIETTES. 

requires  a  great  deal  of  water,  or  moist  soil,  and  will 
not  bear  so  rich  soil  as  Boston  Pine  and  many  other 
kinds  ;  and  the  simple  reduction  of  the  soil  to  the  com- 
mon grade  has  sometimes  changed  the  barren  into  pro- 1 
ductive  plants.  It  originated  in  1834.  The  vines  are 
vigorous,  leaves  large  in  rich  soil,  rather  light  green, 
and  fruit-stalks  are  of  good  length.  Fruit  is  very 
large,  roundish-oval,  conical ;  color,  rich  scarlet ;  seeds 
slightly  imbedded ;  firm  flesh ;  well  adapted  for  market, 
and  of  medium  season ;  flowers  pistillate. 

MONROE  SCAELET. 

This  variety  has  not  been  so  extensively  known  or 
so  largely  tested  as  Hovey's  Seedling  and  Burr's  New 
Pine.  It  originated  in  Rochester  by  those  enterprising 
nurserymen,  Messrs.  Elwanger  &  Barry,  and  was  first 
exhibited  by  them  at  the  June  meeting  of  the  "  Horti- 
cultural Society  of  the  Yalley  of  the  Genesee,"  we 
think  in  1850,  where  we  first  saw  it,  and  took  a  plant 
borne  with  us. 

We  introduce  it  in  this  connection,  because  we  think 
it  will  prove  remarkably  productive.  Such  has  been 
the  case  in  our  trials  of  it ;  it  has  uniformly  surpassed 
all  others  in  bearing.  We  have  counted  over  seventy 
ripe  berries  of  good  size,  the  largest  measuring  four 
and  three-fourths  inches  in  circumference  at  one  time, 
on  a  single  plant  less  than  one  year  old.  A  friend 


SKLKCTION    OF    VARIETIES.  67 

south  of  Washington  City,  to  whom  we  sent  a  few  gen- 
uine plants  &  year  or  two  ago,  writes :  "  Monroe  Scarlet 
proved  with  me  last  season  exceedingly  productive, 
and  nearly  covered  the  entire  surface  of  the  ground 
with  trusses  of  fruit.  It  is  a  decided  acquisition."  We 
are  aware  that  the  Alpines,  and  some  other  kinds, 
will  produce  many  berries  in  a  single  hill,  but  they 
are  very  small  fruit,  and  will  not  produce  near  the 
quantity.  It  is  a  hybrid  of  Hovey's  Seedling  and  the 
Duke  of  Kent.  The  plant  is  very  vigorous  :  pistillate ; 
fruit  large,  roundish,  short  neck,  and  beautiful,  of  good 
fair  flavor,  hard  flesh,  a  long  bearer,  and  good  for 
market;  does  well  partially  shaded. 

BUKK'S  NEW  PINE. 

This  variety  originated  in  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  in  1846,  on  a  clay  soil, 
and  is  remarkable  for  its  agreeable, 
delicious,  aromatic  flavor,  surpassing 
all  other  varieties;  and  also  for  its    p^ 
early    bearing     and    uniform     pro-    f^' 
ductiveness.     It  is  usually  of  large    V^ 
medium  size,  although  we  have  seen 
on  exhibition  large   dishes  of  fruit      BTTRB'8  NEW  PINR 
measuring  nearly  four  inches  in  circumference,  and 
have  measured  single  specimens  from  our  own  garden 
full  four  and  a  quarter  inches ;   and  when  thus  well 


68  SELECTION   OF  VARIETIES. 

grown,  and  on  exhibition,  it  will  bear  off  the  first 
prize  from  Hovey's  Seedling,  and  all  other  varieties ; 
yet  it  is,  under  ordinary  cultivation,  nearer  the  size  of 
three  inches  in  circumference.  It  is  a  great  favorite 
with  families  of  exquisite  taste,  either  for  the  hand  or 
for  the  table,  and  we  have  proved  it  to  be  the  earliest 
of  sixty  varieties  in  the  same  garden  to  ripen  its  fruit, 
and  one  of  the  latest  to  cease  bearing ;  and  occasional 
plants  have  produced  a  small  second  crop  in  the  au- 
tumn, while  standing  without  watering  in  the  open 
garden.  The  fruit  is  large,  round,  conical  and  even ; 
color,  pale  red ;  seeds  very  slightly  sunk ;  flesh,  whitish- 
pink,  sweet,  and  too  tender  for  a  market  fruit ;  quite 
productive,  and  berries  perfect;  the  foliage  is  large, 
and  the  plant  is  vigorous  and  hardy.  It  is  indispens- . 
able  for  private  gardens.  Pistillate. 


The  two  remaining  plants  of  the  first  six  are  stami- 
nate,  or  hermaphrodite.  This  variety  originated  in 
Cincinnati  at  the  same  time  with  McAvoy's  Superior. 
Mr.  Longworth  furnished  the  seed  for  both  plants  to 
two  cultivators,  McAvoy  and  Schnecke,  the  former 
of  whom  produced  the  Superior,  and  the  latter  this 
variety,  which  at  first  was  called  "  Schnecke's  Herma- 
phrodite," but  afterwards  named  by  the  Cincinnati 
Horticultural  Society,  "Longworth's  Prolific,"  in 


SELECTION   OF   VARIETIES.  69 

honor  of  Nicholas  Longworth, 
Esq.  It  is  a  great  favorite  with 
the  gentleman  whose  name  it 
bears,  who  says  "it  will  do 
what  no  other  variety  in  this 
country  or  Europe  has  ever 
done — bear  a  full  crop  of  good 
fruit  standing  alone."  In  a 

•\r-rt  •        -L~\         J*  ^^        f>  LOHGWOBTH'S  PROLIFIO. 

note  to  Mr.  Barry  in  the  fall  of 

1853,  he  says,  "You  will  find  the  Prolific  of  more 

value  than  all  the  seedlings  ever  raised."    Mr.  Elliott, 

in  his  Gruide,  says,  "  For  market  culture  we  regard  it 

of  more  value  than  McAvoy's  Superior ;"  and  we  have 

heard  Dr.  Warder  bear  the  same  high  testimony  to  its 

excellence. 

It  has  been  almost  impossible  to  get  the  genuine 
variety.  In  our  attempts,  we  have  had  repeated  fail- 
ures, until,  at  last,  Mr.  D.  McAvoy  politely  took  up 
for  us  two  plants,  while  in  bearing,  and  enclosed  them 
in  a  letter.  The  plants  lived,  and  we  have  been  ena- 
bled to  experiment  with  them  intelligently.  We  have 
also  seen  the  genuine  in  a  few  other  gardens,  hundreds 
of  miles  apart,  during  the  last  two  seasons ;  and  every- 
where we  have  seen  it,  if  it  had  a  fair  chance,  it  has 
done  well.  Many  will,  doubtless,  discard  "Long 
worth's  Prolific,"  who  have  only  tried  spurious  kinds. 

Our  limited  experience  will  not  enable  us  to  speak 


70  SELECTION   OF    VARIETIES. 

so  decidedly  as  some  of  those  we  have  quoted,  yet  we 
can  say  we  are  much  pleased  with  it,  and  hope  it  will 
equal  the  high  expectations  excited ;  so  far,  it  seems 
to  excel  any  hermaphrodite  of  our  acquaintance  in 
size  and  productiveness,  and  is  of  good  flavor.  The 
Pennsylvania  Horticultural  Society  had  it  on  exhibi- 
tion from  the  garden  of  Caleb  Cope,  Esq.,  in  1853,  and 
speak  of  it  as  "  very  large,  roundish  obovate,  brilliant 
crimson ;  seed  of  the  same  color,  sometimes  yellowish, 
set  in  rather  deep  indentations,  with  rounded  inter- 
vals ;  flesh  red,  flavor  fine,  quality  '  very  good,'  a 
variety  of  great  excellence,  perfect  in  its  sexual  organ- 
ization, and  remarkably  productive,  a  rare  circum- 
stance with  staminate  varieties  of  large  size."  The 
plant  is  very  vigorous  and  hardy ;  large  broad  leaf, 
long  foot-stalks,  setting  the  fruit  well  up  in  large  full 
trusses,  productive  and  sure  bearer;  ripens  at  the 
medium  season,  and  only  loses  its  fine  color  when 
over-ripe.  We  have  seen  the  fruit  from  four  to  five 
inches  in  circumference. 

WALKER'S  SEEDLING. 

The  last  of  the  six  we  name  above  is  also  one  of  the 
new  berries,  not  so  extensively  proved  as  yet.  The  Hon. 
Samuel  Walker,  ex-President  of  the  Massachusetts 
Horticultural  Society,  originated  and  sent  it  out  some 
two  or  three  years  ago,  when  he  politely  sent  us  a 


SELECTION   OF   VARIETIES.  tl 

dozen  plants  for  trial,  which  trial  has  been  very  satis- 
factory. The  society  above-named  has  during  the  last 
season  renewed  its  endorsement^  it,  and  Mr.  Barry, 
of  Kochester,  also  approves  it  there.  It  is  entirely 
distinct  from  all  other  kinds,  and  is  a  good  honest  fruit. 
In  form  it  resembles  the  Large  Early  Scarlet,  or  more 
nearly  the  Crimson  Cone,  but  rather  larger  than  either ; 
in  color  it  is  as  dark  crimson  or  purple  as  the  Black 
Prince.  A  vigorous,  hardy,  good  staminate,  of  excel- 
lent flavor,  "  best"  quality,  and  productive ;  of  medium 
season. 


This  is  another  of  the  new  Ohio  strawberries,  origi- 
nated by  Mr.  Longworth  in  his  garden,  or  by  his  tenant 
and  gardener,  Mr.  D.  McAvoy,  at  the  same  time  with 
the  Superior,  which  variety  it  appears  in  every  respect 
to  equal,  except  in  flavor.  The  Fruit-Committee  in 
Cincinnati  report  it  as  "  large,  beautiful  and  very  pro- 
lific ;  quality  medium,  sub-acid  not  high-flavored." 
We  think  it  will  prove  a  valuable  market  fruit :  it  is 
very  vigorous  and  hardy ;  fruit  large  and  handsome, 
and  keeps  well.  We  have  seen  it  exhibited  for  forty- 
eight  hours,  after  twenty  miles  land-carriage,  when  it 
remained  the  brightest  and  most  showy  fruit  of  forty 
choice^  varieties.  The  Pennsylvania  Horticultural  So- 
ciety in  1853  pronounced  it  "  extraordinarily  produo- 


72  SELECTION   OF   VARIETIES. 

tive,"  and  quality  "  good."     It  is  pistillate,  and  its  only 
faults,  as  far  as  we  are  aware,  are  its  acidity  and  its  lack 
.  of  high  flavor,  which  we  do  not  consider  indispensable 
for  a  market  fruit. 


JENNET'S  SEEDLING. 

This  originated  in  New  Bedford, 
about  the  year  1845 :  is  of  good 
size,  high  flavor;  and  has  been 
highly  recommended  by  the  Massa- 
chusetts and  other  Horticultural 
Societies.  We  have  successfully 
cultivated  it  for  four  or  five  years, 
and  think  its  advantages  are,  its 
good  fair  size,  bright  handsome 
color  and  form,  sprightly  rich  flavor,  lateness  of  season  in 
bearing,  and  sound  flesh,  fitting  it  for  a  first-rate  market 
fruit,  or  for  preserving ;  its  defects  are,  its  not  being 
the  largest  size  and  only  a  medium  bearer.  The  plant 
is  vigorous,  and  blossoms  pistillate. 

WILSON'S  SEEDLING. 

This  superior  strawberry  originated  with  an  excel- 
lent Scotch  nurseryman,  of  Albany,  John  Wilson. 
It  was  introduced  a  year  or  two  before  it  attracted 
much  notice.  In  the  summer  of  1857,  I  think,  Mr 
Cummings  of  the  New  York  Observer,  placed  On  the 


SELECTION   OF   VARIETIES.  73 

tables  of  the  New  York  Horticultural  Society,  one 
plant  in  a  pot,  which  gave  a  show  of  fruit  far  exceed- 
ing all  we  had  ever  seen.  We  counted  260  berries  on 
that  one  plant,  and  immediately  wrote  an  article  call- 
ing attention  to  it.  It  has  now  grown  into  general 
circulation,  and  although  some  complain  of  its  acidity, 
yet  it  seems  to  be  steadily  gaining  favor.  It  is  good 
size,  often  large,  pointed  cone,  dark  red  when  fully 
ripe,  solid  flesh,  good  and  very  productive. 

LARGE  EARLY  SCARLET. 

This  has  long  been  the  standard  staminate.  It  bears 
almost  every  where  a  tolerable  crop  with  fair  treatment. 
It  is  early,  and,  as  we  see  from  Mr.  Peabody's  article 
in  the  Appendix,  under  his  treatment  has  become  a 
perpetual  bearer.  It  is  of  medium  size,  handsome  oval 
form,  good — rather  acid — flavor,  and  bears  carriage  to 
market  tolerably  well. 

Its  good  qualities  are  its  uniform,  although  not  large 
productiveness,  early  season  and  good  flavor ;  its  de- 
fects, its  want  of  size  and  of  large  productiveness,  and 
its  tendency  to  throw  out  an  overgrowth  of  runners. 
It  is  valuable  as  an  impregnator. 

CRIMSON  CONE. 

A  very  bright,  handsome,  brisk,  acid  fruit,  of  me- 
dium size,  uniformly  conical,  rich  dark  crimson,  and 


74  SELECTION   OF  VARIETIES. 

quite  productive.  Its  seeds  lie  deeply  imbedded,  gi  ving 
the  surface  a  beautiful  rasp-like  appearance.  Its  de- 
fects are,  its  second-rate  size  and  acid  flavor.  It  was 
always  a  favorite  of  Mr.  Downing's,  who  preferred  its 
acid  flavor  for  the  table,  bringing  it  to  its  proper  tone 
by  a  liberal  addition  of  sugar. 

It  has  supplied  the  New  York  market  with  more 
fruit  the  past  season,  we  think,  than  all  other  varieties 
combined. 

The  plant  is  very  vigorous — blossoms  pistillate. 

IOWA. 

The  Iowa,  or  Washington  as  it  is  familiarly  called  in 
Cincinnati,  is  a  wonderfully  productive  variety,  good 
size,  and  well  adapted  for  the  market.  Its  lack  of  high 
flavor,  and  pale  color,  will  prevent  its  becoming  a  favor- 
ite among  amateurs. 

TRIOMPHE   DE   GAND.      H. 

This  new  Belgian  variety  is  very  popular.  It  is 
very  large,  bright  crimson,  flesh  firm,  sweet,  juby, 
very  productive  and  late.  Good  for  the  family  or 
market. 

GENESEE  SEEDLING. 

A  large  and  very  handsome  fruit.  It  originated  with 
Messrs.  Ellwanger  &  Barry.  The  plant  is  vigorous, 
with  long  stout  foot-stalks,  productive  for  a  staminate, 


SELECTION"  OF  VARIETIES.  75 

and  of  good  medium  flavor.     It  seems  to  be  growing 
in  favor  for  private  gardens. 

WILLEY. 

This  is  a  great  bearer  of  round,  medium-sized  fruit 
of  pleasant,  sprightly,  although  not  high  flavor.  This 
and  Monroe  Scarlet  are  the  only  strawberries  I  have 
ever  seen  that  bear  apparently  in  clusters.  It  is  not 
unusual  for  the  Willey  to  produce  sixty  and  seventy 
berries  on  a  plant,  and  should  never  be  cultivated  in 
masses.  It  is  solid  enough  for  market,  and  its  main 
defect  is  its  size  and  second-rate  flavor. 

PRINCESS  ALICE  MAUDE. 

A  handsome,  long,  oval,  English  fruit,  of  large  size, 
fair  productiveness,  and  medium  flavor.  It  is  unique 
in  appearance,  very  early,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Washington  City  it  has  become  very  popular,  Profes- 
sor Page  having  succeeded  in  inducing  it  to  adopt  the 
ever-bearing  habit.  Its  main  defects  are  moderate  pro- 
ductiveness and  want  of  high  flavor.  Staminate,  and 
good  for  market. 

BOSTON  PINE. 

A  good  staminate  seedling  of  Mr.  Hovey,  of  Boston, 
and  for  our  own  cultivation  we  should  give  it  a  very 
early  place  in  our  list ;  but  with  the  mass  of  cultiva- 
tors it  is  not  so  popular.  It  wants  the  best  clean  culti- 


76  SELECTION   OF  VARIETIES. 

vation,  with  every  plant  two  feet  apart  from  all  others, 
and  will  bear  richer  soil  than  almost  any  other  variety ; 
with  such  treatment  it  will  produce  a  good  crop  of 
uniformly  large,  round,  handsome  fruit  of  high  flavor. 

'BLACK  PRINCE. 

A.  large,  handsome,  very  dark  crimson  or  blackish- 
purple  fruit,  of  English  parentage  and  pistillate  flowers. 
The  plants  are  vigorous  and  hardy,  quite  productive, 
usually  too  watery  and  insipid  in  flavor,  but  some- 
times we  have  found  it  to  be  of  the  richest  flavor.  A 
few  plants  are  worthy  of  a  place  in  most  private 
gardens. 

BARTLETT.      H. 

Medium  size,  good  form,  crimson,  firm,  sweet  and 
rich  flavor,  moderately  productive. 

SWAINSTONE   SEEDLING. 

An  English  staminate  of  the  highest  flavor  and 
great  beauty,  but  unfortunately  so  fickle  in  its  bearing 
habits  as  to  drive  it  from  all  but  the  amateurs'  and  a 
few  of  the  best  nurserymen's  gardens. 

MYATT'S  BRITISH  QUEEN 

A  splendid  English  variety  of  the  largest  size  and 
richest  flavor,  but  unfortunately,  in  this  country,  so 


SELECTION    OF   VAEIETIES.  77 

few  of  the  blossoms  ordinarily  produce  fruit,  that  it  is 
in  most  places  despaired  of.  It  needs  the  best  cultiva- 
tion, and  the  slants  should  be  allowed  plenty  of  room 
for  air. 

LARGE  WHITE  BICTON  PIKE. 

A  new  English  staminate  variety,  of  large  hand- 
some fruit,  long  oval  shape,  sometimes  flattened,  of 
the  highest  flavor,  white  color,  with  a  bright  blush 
cheek  on  one  side.  It  is  quite  a  novelty,  and  proves  to 
be  more  productive  than  was  expected.  It  will  find  a 
place  in  most  amateurs'  gardens  in  limited  quantities. 


Is  said  to  be  superior  to  the  above,  but  we  have  not 
yet  tried  it.  In  Boston  it  is  spoken  well  of.  A  friend 
assures  us  it  is  superior  to  the  Bicton  Pine. 

PROLIFIC  HAUTBOY. 

Prolific  certainly  of  runners,  so  as  greatly  'to  injure 
its  value,  if  it  had  no  other  defect ;  is  a  very  vigorous 
plant,  producing  long,  oval,  purplish,  dingy  berries  of 
a  rich  but  very  peculiar  flavor,  agreeable  to  some,  but 
the  reverse  to  others.  It  is  staminate,  but  hardly 
desirable. 

We  might  continue  this  list,  and  enumerate  full 
one  hundred  other  varieties  which  we  have  had  an 
opportunity  of  personally  testing;  but  we  cannot 


78  SELECTION   OF  VARIETIES, 

name  any  variety  possessing  any  superior  quality,  not 
possessed  in  an  equal  or  larger  degree  by  some  of  the 
best  of  those  we  have  named ;  in  fact,  some  of  the 
varieties  we  have  noticed  are  not  equal  to  other  varie- 
ties we  might  name,  of  our  own  seedlings  and  others  ; 
and  we  have  only  referred  to  them  because  they  are 
popular  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  and  supposed 
there  to  be  a  first-class  fruit. 

Many  of  our  horticultural  friends  and  nurserymen 
may  be  disappointed  that  we  have  not  referred  more 
extensively  to  their  favorites ;  in  answer  we  say,  we 
do  not  suppose  them  superior  to  some  of  those  de- 
scribed. If  they  are,  they  will  soon  be  extensively 
proved  and  noticed.  Others,  we  do  not  personally 
know  anything  about,  which  are  not  merely  recom- 
mended by  individual  originators,  but  Horticultural 
Societies  of  the  highest  authority;  for  instance,  the 
new  seedling  "  Pennsylvania,"  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Scott's  Seedling,  &c.,  of  Boston,  Hooker's  seedling  of 
Kochester,  and  Lucy  Fitch  in  the  "West.  A  seedling 
that  will  surpass  McAvoy's  Superior  in  average  size, 
productiveness,  and  good  flavor,  or  Hovey's  Seedling 
in  size  and  beauty,  or  Burr's  New  Pine  in  flavor,  pro- 
ductiveness, and  early  fruit,  and  Longworth's  Prolific 
in  size,  beauty,  productiveness  and  flavor  as  an  herma- 
phrodite, has  got  to  be  an  extraordinary  fine  berry, 
but  there  is  hope  that  it  may  be  obtained. 


ANALYSIS.  79 

The  following  analysis  of  the  strawberry  plant 
(vines)  was  made  by  Mr.  Bilius,  Kirtland,  Ohio. 

In  116  grains  of  the  ashes  of.  the  GARDEN  STRAW- 
BERRY he  found : 

Potash 33.154 

Lime 26.519 

Carbonic  Acid 23.008 

Magnesia 8.908 

Phosphoric  Acid 6.970 

Silica 6.117 

Charcoal  and  Sand 3.103 

Soda...; 2.794 

Perphosphate  of  Iron 1.515 

Sulphuric  Acid 1.469 

Chlorine . 718 

Organic  Matter  and  Loss 1.739 

116.000 

In  the  Annual  report  of  the  Progress  of  Chemistry 
and  allied  Sciences  for  1847  and  1848,  we  find  the 
following  analysis  of  the  Strawberry  by  THOMAS 
RICHARDSON  : 

THE  PLANT. 

Potash 38.65 

Lime 12.20 

Silica 2.58 

Perphosphate  of  Iron 8.65 

Magnesia 5.85 

Phosphoric  Acid 15.58 

Chlorine..  1.23 


80  ANALYSIS. 

Soda 9.27 

Organic  Matter,  Loss,  &c 5.99 


39  per  cent,  of  Ash.  100.00 

THE    JTKU1T. 

Potash 21.07 

Lime 14.20 

Soda -. 27.01 

Silica 1105 

Perphosphate  Iron 11.15 

Phosphoric  Acid ft  59 

Sulphuric  Acid a  15 

Chlorine £.78 

Magnesia Tr*ce 

41  per  cent,  of  Ash.  10*/.00 

The  great  variation  in  these  analyses  is  probably  mainly  owing 
to  the  greater  age  of  the  vines  in  one  case  than  the  other :  perhaps 
something  is  also  due  to  soil  and  climate. — ED. 


THE  RASPBERRY. 


WHEN  well-grown,  and  of  the  best  varieties,  this  is 
one  of  our  most  wholesome  and  excellent  fruits.  It 
deserves  a  far  more  general  and  better  cultivation  than 
is  usually  given  to  it ;  and  its  free  use,  succeeding  the 
strawberry,  as  it  does,  would  doubtless  conduce  to  the 
general  health  as  well  as  luxury  of  the  community. 

If  grown  without  care,  it  is  often  small,  hard,  and 
with  little  good  flavor ;  but  when  highly  cultivated,  it 
is  large,  melting,  and  delicious.  It  will  repay  the  best 
care,  and  to  very  few  fruits  is  this  so  indispensable  as 
to  the  raspberry. 

A  rather  moist,  cool  location,  on  the  north  slope  of 
a  side-hill,  or  shade  of  a  fence,  is  to  be  chosen ;  and 
the  soil  should  be  deep  and  rich.  A  deep  loam  is 
preferable,  but  other  soils  by  the  addition  of  bog  earth 
or  muck  can  be  made  to  answer  the  purpose ;  it  should 
be  well  broken  up,  trenched  and  pulverized  to  the  depth 
of  two  feet,  then  enriched  with  well-rotted  manure, 
vegetable,  if  convenient. 

4*  (81) 


82  THE   RASPBERRY. 

The  plants  should  be  shortened  ten  or  twelve  inches 
at  the  top,  and  set  out  very  early  in  the  spring,  at  a 
distance  of  three  to  four  feet  apart,  not  too  deep,  in  pure 
earth,  with  a  good  proportion  of  the  roots  lying  near 
tho  surface.  Keep  them  clean,  and  well  staked,  with 
not  more  than  three  or  four  canes  in  a  hill.  On  gather- 
ing of  the  fruit,  cut  out  all  the  old  decayed  canes  and 
leave  not  more  than  six,  eight,  or  ten  of  the  strongest 
ones  in  a  hill  to  ripen  for  another  season  of  bearing, 
one-half  of  which  should  be  transplanted  in  the  fol- 
lowing spring. 

On  the  first  of  September  pinch  back  the  most 
vigorous  shoots,  so  as  to  check  the  flow  of  sap  and 
ripen  the  wood. 

WINTER    PROTECTION. 

The  question  of  winter  protection  is  a  difficult  and 
important  one.  The  ordinary  custom  is  to  leave  them 
exposed  in  the  garden  to  the  severity  of  winter,  and, 
as  a  consequence,  the  FASTOLF,  FRANCONIA,  and  TRUE 
ANTWERPS,  are  rendered  almost  worthless.  Even  in 
Kentucky,  those  choice  varieties  require  winter  protec- 
tion. The  easiest  way  is  to  bend  the  canes  down  and 
cover  them  slightly  with  earth.  Some  tie  them  up 
in  a  withe  of  straw,  or  evergreen  boughs,  but  these 
are  not  always  sufficient. 


WINTER   PROTECTION.  83 

We  have  sometimes  taken  up  the  plants  in  the  fall, 
and  buried  them  in  sand,  and  on  the  earliest  opening 
of  spring  set  them  out  with  care,  and  in  this  way  have 
raised  extraordinary  crops ;  but  we  have  not  proved 
this  last  process  so  fully  as  to  incur  the  responsibility  of 
recommending  it.  It  would  require  to  be  very  care- 
fully done,  so  as  to  preserve  all  the  fibrous  roots,  to- 
gether with  the  advantage  of  favorable  soil,  for  it  to 
succeed  so  well. 

The  raspberry  is  used  in  a  variety  of  ways,  viz. :  for 
the  hand,  the  table,  pies,  tarts,  jelly,  jam,  ices,  syrups, 
brandy,  wine,  and  vinegar. 

The  profits  of  production  are  very  large ;  often,  in 
the  vicinity  of  New  York,  selling  for  from  $500  to 
$600  per  acre.  From  Milton,  Ulster  County,  it  is  said 
$10,000  worth  is  sent  every  year  to  New  York  market. 
The  usual  price  is  about  one  shilling  per  pint. 

They  will  continue  in  bearing  some  five  or  six  years, 
but  will  not  be  in  perfection,  ordinarily,  until  the  third 
year  after  planting. 

We  will  name  but  a  few  established  varieties.  Dr. 
Brinckle',  of  Philadelphia,  and  some  others,  have  gained 
much  credit  with  their  fine  seedlings,  but  how  exten- 
sively they  have  been  proved,  or  if  any  of  them  sur- 
pass the  Fastolfj  Franconia,  Antwerp,  &c.,  we  are  unable 
to  say.  The  '"  Colonel  Wilder"  and  some  other  seed- 
lings are  said  to  be  perfectly  hardy ;  and  if  that  is  the 


84  THE   RASPBERRY. 

case,  and  they  prove  equal  in  other  respects,  they  will 
certainly  be  a  decided  acquisition. 

FASTOLF. 

This  fine  variety  originated  at  Fastolf  Castle,  near 
Yarmouth,  England,  where  it  attained  a  high  reputa- 


THE   FASTOLF. 


tion,  which  it  has  nobly  sustained  in  this  country. 

It  is  not  quite  so  hard  for  a  market  fruit  as  the  Ant- 
werp, but  it  is  rather  soft,  and  of  rich  high  flavor,  and 


VARIETIES. 


85 


Che  fruit  is  very  large,  of  a  bright  purplish  red,  and  is 
a  large  bearer.     It  requires  winter  protection. 


FRANCONI. 

This  line  variety  was  said  to  be  originally  from 
France,  but  a  few  knowing  ones  insist  that  its  advent 
was  nearer  home.  However  that  may  be,  it  is  a  valu- 
able kind,  the  most  hardy  of  the  large  varieties  which 
we  refer  to ;  produces  most  abundant  crops  of  fine  fruit, 
which  bears  carriage  to  market  well.  It  is  some  ten 
days  later  than  the  Antwerps,  and  requires  only  slight 
protection.  The  fruit  resembles  the  Fastolf,  but  rather 
more  acid  flavor;  canes  strong  and  branching,  and 
leaves  rather  narrow. 

RED  ANTWERP. 

This  variety  has  long 
been  the  standard  sort, 
both  in  this  country  and 
Europe,  and  is  a  very 
fine  fruit.  So  many 
spurious  sorts  are  now 
sold  under  this  name, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  ob- 
tain the  genuine,  in 
many  places.  The  Com- 
mon Red  Antwerp  is 


RED   ANTWERP. 


86  THE   RASPBERRY. 

smaller  and  round ;  while  the  true  is  large,  regularly 
long  conical,  dull  red,  with  a  rich  sweet  flavor. 

The  canes  are  of  good  strength  when  well  cultivated, 
and  the  fruit  ripens  early  in  July. 

It  also  requires  winter  protection. 

YELLOW  ANTWERP. 

Much  resembles  the  Eed  Antwerp  except  in  color, 
and  is  a  very  handsome  and  excellent  fruit.  Whether 
Dr.  Brinckle's  new  seedlings,  Colonel  Wilder,  and 
Orange,  will  supersede  it  or  not,  as  Mr.  Elliott  sug 
gests,  we  are  unable  to  say. 

KNEVETT'S  GIANT 

We  have  sometimes  thought  this  variety  a  better 
bearer  than  the  Red  Antwerp,  but  we  do  not  know  as 


KNEVETT'S  GIAUT. 
It  has  any  superiority  other  than  being  more  hardy. 


VARIETIES.  87 

This,  however,  bears  a  much  larger  crop,  in  conse- 
quence of  winter  protection. 

LARGE-FRUITED   MONTHLY. 

This  is  a  new  variety,  that  we  have  had  in  bearing 
in  our  garden  some  years,  and  have  often  gathered  a 
moderate  amount  of  fruit  from  it  in  September  and 
October,  as  well  as  in  the  early  summer.  With  good 
cultivation  and  thorough  pruning,  it  produces  full 
crops  of  fruit  of  the  character,  but  not  equal  to,  the 
Antwerps. 

OHIO  EVER-BEARING. 

A  variety  of  the  American  Black,  which  has  for 
vears  borne  us  several  crops  during  the  season,  of 
large,  goc-d  fruit,  ripening  its  last  crop  amidst  the 
snows  and  frosts  of  November.  Some  of  our  New 
Jersey  markets  are  realizing  on  small  plots  at  the  rate 
of  from  six  to  eight  hundred  dollars  per  acre. 


BRINCKLES   ORANGE. 

This  is  one  of  the  best  of  Dr.  Brinckle's  Seedlings, 
ll  is  large,  good  orange  color,  good  flavor  and  very 
productive.  It  is  becoming  quite  a  favorite. 


THE   BLACKBERRY, 


THE  production  of  this  fruit  has  heretofore  been 
mostly  confined  to  the  woods  and  new  lands  of  our 
country.  In  our  former  residence,  Palmyra,  Western 
New  York,  from  time  immemorial,  almost,  the  market- 
women  have  made  their  appearance  every  two  or  three 
days  during  the  season,  with  wagon-loads  of  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  bushels  of  blackberries,  which  they 
sold  at  the  prices  of  three,  four,  to  five  cents  per  quart. 
The  fruit  was  often  small,  hard,  and  unripe,  similar  to 
much  that  is  sold  in  the  New  York  markets.  Some 
of  this  fruit  is  larger  and  finer  than  others,  and  for 
many  years  persons  have  been  trying  to  cultivate  and 
improve  upon  the  best  specimens  of  field  blackberries. 
Our  agricultural  friends  in  Massachusetts — particularly 
the  late  Captain  Lovett,  of  Beverly — have  been  among 
the  most  enterprising  and  successful  in  this  direction. 
The  "Improved  High  Bush  Blackberry"  of  Captain 
Lovett  has  often  been  noticed  with  marked  favor  by 
the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society,  as  being  a  long, 
egg-shaped,  shining,  black,  juicy,  and  rich  fruit,  with 
specimens  often  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  We  have 

(88) 


THE    BLACKBERRY.  89 

seen  handsome  and  excellent  fruit  of  this  variety,  not 
only  in  New  England,  but  also  in  Western  New  York, 
but  there  is  a  complaint  in  some  quarters  that  it  has  a 
tendency,  like  most  other  kinds,  to  deteriorate.  Many 
promising  varieties  from  the  woods  or  seedlings,  on 
being  cultivated,  have  scarcely  produced  a  single  per- 
fect berry.  We  personally  know  of  but  one  decided 
exception. 

THE   LAWTON  BLACKBEKRY, 

Or  New  Rochelle,  which  is  said  to  be  a  chance  seed- 
ling first  picked  up  by  the  wayside,  and  has  been  most 
successfully  cultivated  for  many  years  in  the  pleasant 
village  of  New  Kochelle,  near  New  York,  where  it 
was  discovered  to  have  extraordinary  vigor,  growth, 
size  and  uniform  productiveness. 

Our  attention  was  first  called  to  it  by  some  baskets 
of  the  fruit  presented  to  the  Farmers7  Club  o£  the 
American  Institute  in  the  city  of  New  York  at  their 
regular  meetings  in  August,  1852  and  1853,  by  Wil- 
liam Lawton,  Esq.,  an  amateur  cultivator,  of  New 
Kochelle,  who  stated  that  it  was  familiarly  known  in 
the  vicinity  as  the  "  New  Kochelle  Blackberry." 

The  fruit  was  found  to  be  of  great  size,  uniformly 
so,  sixty  to  seventy  of  the  berries  filling  a  quart  mea- 
sure— very  few  seeds,  light  melting  pulp,  and  of  ft 
delicious  flavor. 


THE  BLACKBERRY. 


THE   LAWTON   BLACKBEREY. 

It  was  well  known  that  not  only  in  New  Kochelle, 
but  also  in  Morrisania,  and  the  open  lands  of  Long 
Island  were  filled  with  seedlings  of  greater  or  less 
excellence,  but  this  variety  so  far  surpassed  all  others 
known  to  the  Club  as  to  excite  their  admiration.  .  On 
account  of  the  liability  o°  the  numerous  other  wild 


THE   BLACKBERRY.  91 

i 

varieties  in  New  Eoclielle  becoming  confounded  with 
this,  the  Club  resolved  to  name  it,  distinctively,  "The 
Lawton  Blackberry,"  in  honor  of  "the  gentleman  intro- 
ducing it  to  them. 

We  have  had  frequent  opportunities  of  giving  this 
variety  a  personal  examination  in  various  places  and 
under  different  treatment,  and  particularly  in  the 
grounds  of  Mr.  Lawton,  where  there  are  some  three 
acres  in  bearing. 

THE   CHARACTERISTICS 

Of  it  are  a  hardy  vigorous  growth,  the  canes  are  often 
an  inch  in  diameter,  and  eight  to  twelve  feet  long, 
covered  with  laterals  well  loaded  with  fruit ;  so  that  a 
single  stalk  will  produce  from  four  to  six  and  even 
eight  quarts,  and  the  canes  are  uniformly  full  of  large 
perfect  fruit  in  different  exposures  and  locations. 

The  Fruit  is  of  regular,  large  size,  oval  shape,  hand- 
some, and  superior  flavor,  so  that  our  best  pomologists,  • 
after  a  trial  of  several  years,  do  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
nounce it  "  the  greatest  acquisition."  It  is  quite  certain 
it  has  not  deteriorated  in  the  last  eight  or  ten  years, 
and  it  proves  to  be  entirely  hardy 

CULTIVATION. 

The  blackberry  rejoices  in  a  moist,  loamy  soil;  but 
will  grow  well  in  higher  exposures,  and  is  rather  bene- 
fited by  a  little  shade  and  a  cool  northern  aspect. 


92  THE    BLACKBERRY. 

• 

When  thus  favored,  it  will  prolong  its  period  of  bear- 
ing from  four  to  six  weeks.  Usual  good  garden  soil  is 
favorable  for  the  blackberry,  and  it  will  bear  being 
made  pretty  rich  with  manures  after  the  first  year  and 
especially  with  muck  or  woods'-mould.  It  should  be 
transplanted  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible,  or  in 
the  fall,  and  especial  care  should  be  taken  of  its  fibrous 
roots  and  its  whole  general  culture  the  first  year,  and 
then  it  will  grow,  produce  fruit,  and  propagate  itself 
rapidly. 

The  canes  which  come  up  one  season  will  bear 
fruit  the  next  and  then  die  in  the  autumn,  and  the 
dead  branches  must  be  carefully  removed  early  every 
spring,  in  order  to  make  room  for  the  new  ones  to 
take  their  place,  and  this  beautiful  process  of  reproduc- 
tion thus  goes  on ;  so  that  a  single  plant  set  out  in  a 
good  free  soil  will  send  up  two,  three,  or  four  plants, 
and  those  will  increase  to  a  score  or  more  the  follow- 
ing season  if  carefully  pruned  and  kept  clean. 

The  ends  of  the  canes  should  be  shortened  about 
one  quarter  early  in  the  spring,  when  the  old  decayed 
ones  are  removed,  and  if  the  laterals  are  too  long  clip 
them  also.  They  usually  require  no  support.  ( 

TRANSPLANTING. 

Particular  care,  we  think,  is  needed  in  transplanting 
the  blackberry.  It  should  not  be  attempted  late  in  the 
spring,  otherwise  a  great  share  of  the  plants  will  hardly 


THE   BLACKBERRY.  93 

survive  the  process.  Mulching  and  watering  are  often 
useful  and  even  necessary  when  transplanting. 

It  is  well  to  set  the  plants  four  or  five  feet  apart  in 
rows  that  are  eight  to  ten  feet  distant,  and  they  will 
soon  cover  the  ground,  and  thus  500  plants  will  set  an 
acre.  Some  large  growers  in  the  vicinity  of  New 
York  have  readily  contracted  their  entire  crop  for  the 
season  at  25  cents  to  37  £  cents  per  quart.  We  have 
given  a  large  space  to  this  variety,  not  only  because  it  is 
new,  but  because  we  believe  it  to  be  worthy  of  exten- 
sive cultivation  by  the  public,  both  as  amateurs  and  for 
the  market. 

NEEDHAM'S  IMPROVED  WHITE  BLACKBERRY 

Is  a  great  bearer,  not  white,  but  with  a  blush  cheek, 
and  not  of  good  quality  or  size  when  compared  with 
the  Lawton;  sometimes  it  fails,  but  we  are  certified  tc 
instances  of  single  canes  producing  eight,  ten,  and  even 
eleven  quarts  of  fruit,  such  as  it  is. 

We  have  seen  the  wild  white  blackberry  growing 
in  the  woods,  on  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario, 
in  the  town  of  Ontario,  Wayne  County,  but  on  culti- 
vating them  they  have  failed  to  produce  a  single  per- 
fect berry.  This  has  been  the  case  also  with  the  best 
specimens  of  black  ones  grown  in  the  vicinity. 


THE  CRANBERRY. 


THE  culture  of  the  American  Cranberry  has  become 
an  object  of  much  interest  and  importance.  It  grows 
freely  and  produces  its  fruit  readily  in  any  damp  situa- 
tion. Pare  off  the  surface  of  a  swamp  or  bog-meadow, 
then  cover  the  surface  with  a  few  inches  of  sand,  set 
out  the  plants  12  or  18  inches  apart,  keep  them  clean, 
and  in  two  or  three  years  they  will  cover  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  and  produce,  say  50  bushels  the  first 
year,  100  the  second,  and  after  that  a  regular  crop  of 
150  to  400  bushels  per  acre. 

They  can  be  raised  upon  poor  uplands  by  first  cover- 
ing the  surface  with  sand  ;  set  them  out  and  keep  the 
ground  free  from  weeds.  Planting  can  be  done  from 
March  until  middle  of  May,  or  from  September  until  the 
ground  freezes.  The  black  cranberry  has  formerly  been 
considered  the  best  variety,  but  some  new  seedlings  exhi- 
bited the  past  season  promise  decidedly  to  surpass  it. 

A  new  work  just  issued  from  the  prolific  agricultu- 
ral publication  house  of  C.  M.  Saxton  &  Co.,  New  York, 
by  the  Kev.  B.  Eastwood  "  On  the  Cranberry,"  ren- 
ders a  more  extended  notice  unnecessary  in  this  placa 

(W) 


THE  CURRANT. 


THIS  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  all  our  small 
fruits.  It  can  be  used  to  such  advantage  in  a  variety 
of  ways,  whether  in  a  green  or  ripe  state,  and  it  is  so 
easily  grown,  that  it  is  indispensable  in  every  small 
garden. 

It  is  a  native  of  Great  Britain,  and  therefore  per- 
fectly hardy.  In  a  green  state  it  is  used  in  pies,  tarts, 
&c.,  stewed  like  gooseberries.  When  ripe,  it  is  much 
used  as  a  table  fruit,  with  plenty  of  sugar ;  but  it  ia 
almost  universally  used  in  a  jelly  that  is  both  delicious 
and  wholesome.  It  also  makes  an  excellent  wine,  at  a 
cost  of  not  more  than  two  or  three  shillings  a  gallon. 
The  Black  Currant  is  chiefly  used  in  a  jam  or  jelly. 
Currants  ripen  in  midsummer,  and  if  protected  from 
the  sun  will  remain  on  the  bushes  until  October. 

This  fruit  is  very  easily  cultivated,  and  it  will  grow 
and  bear  in  almost  any  fair  soil ;  fresh  maiden  earth  is 
best  for  treatment.  The  usual  way  is  to  allow  the 
suckers  to  spring  up  around  the  original  plant,  until 
it  has  become  a  matted  clump  of  bushes,  but  this  is  a 
bad  practice  every  way.  The  suckers  uniformly  pro 


96  THE  CURRANT. 

duce  poor  and  small  fruit,  and  should  never  bo  per- 
mitted to  grow. 

The  best  way'of  propagating  the  currant  is  to  cut 
off  in  the  early  spring,  before  the  buds  swell,  the 
growth  of  the  last  year,  close  to  the  old  wood ;  make 
the  cuttings  one  foot  long ;  remove  all  the  eyes  except 
some  three  or  four  at  the  top  of  the  cutting,  to  prevent 
suckers ;  then  place  it  compactly  in  good  sandy  soil  to 
half  its  depth,  or  six  inches,  and  by  good  care  in  one 
year  it  will  be  sufficiently  established  for  transplant- 
ing. In  new,  rare  varieties,  it  can  be  more  rapidly 
increased  by  layering,  where  the  first  branches  have 
been  allowed  to  grow  near  the  surface  of  the  earth.  It 
should  always  be  cultivated  in  the  form  of  small  bush 
trees,  and  by  a  skilful  hand  can  be  easily  made  to 
assume  a  handsome  pyramidal  or  espalier  form.  All 
superfluous  wood  should  be  carefully  pruned  out  every 
winter,  and  the  plant  invigorated  with  rich  manure  in 
the  spring.  The  currant  and  gooseberry  can  hardly  be 
over-fed.  Each  bush  should  be  renewed  every  six  or 
eight  years,  as  young  vigorous  plants  of  most  fruits 
produce  the  largest  and  best  specimens.  It  will  bear 
very  well  partially  shaded  by  trees  or  shrubbery,  yet 
the  fruit  will  be  the  richest  and  best  flavored  with  plenty 
of  air  and  sun,  and  therefore  a  southern  aspect  is 
desirable. 


VARIETIES.  Vi 

VARIETIES. 

BLACK  NAPLES  and  BANG-UP"  are  the  largest  and 
best  Black  Currants,  of  excellent  flavor,  and  bear  large 
clusters  of  fruit,  often  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diame- 
ter: They  are  also  productive.  The  Black  English 
is  quite  inferior. 

The  WHITE  and  KED  DUTCH  are  our  most  popular 
varieties.  They  are  large,  good  flavor  and  productive. 
The  white  is  the  mildest.  They  are  decidedly  better 
tnan  the  common  currant. 

The  WHITE  and  KED  GRAPE  do  not  vary  but  a  little 
from  the  above. 

CHERRY  CURRANT. — The  largest  of  all  red  currants ; 
quite  acid;  short  clusters;  moderate  bearer;  color, 
dark-red;  strong  grower;  thick,  dark-green  foliage; 
new,  from  Italy.  Sometimes  seven-eighths  of  an  inch 
in  diameter. 

MAY'S  VICTORIA,  or  Houghton  Castle;  large  and 
very  long  bunches;  late,  and  rather  acid;  moderate 
bearer;  plant  vigorous. 

KNIGHT'S  SWEET  RED,  chiefly  valuable  for  its  mild 
pleasant  flavor,  similar  in  quality  to  the  White  Dutch, 
and  productive. 
5 


98  THE   CURRANT. 

LARGEST  WHITE  PROVENCE,  the  largest  White 
Currant,  often  full  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diame- 
ter; short  bunches,  and  quite  acid;  a  good  bearer; 
quite  attractive  ;  new,  from  France.  We  are  pleased 
with  it  in  our  own  garden. 


LA   VERSAILLES. 

This  is  one  of  the  new  French  currants,  and  is  a 
decided  acquisition.  It  is  as  large,  handsome,  produc- 
tive and  hardy  as  the  Cherry  Currant,  but  decidedly 
superior  to  it  in  agreeable  flavor. 


THE  GOOSEBERRY. 


No  fruit  is  easier  of  propagation  than  the  goose- 
berry, and  it  should  find  its  place  in  every  garden. 

It  should  be  protected  from  suckers,  like  the  currant, 
and  like  that  it  loves  a  fresh,  deep,  rich,  moist  soil  of 
a  soft,  loamy  texture  ;  it  can  scarcely  be  too  much  en- 
riched with  cooling  manures.  The  north  side  of  an 
open  fence  or  hedge  will  do  well  for  it,  but  it  should 
not  be  placed  under  the  shade  of  trees  ;  open  ground 
is  far  better.  It  should  be  so  carefully  and  thoroughly 
pruned  as  to  admit  the  air  and  light  freely,  and  it  is 
well  to  train  it  up  into  little  upright  bushes  or  small 
trees.  Summer  as  well  as  winter  pruning  is  often 
necessary  to  admit  sun  and  air. 

The  English  varieties  are  much  subject  to  mildew  in 
this  country.  Mr.  William  Newcomb,  of  Pittstown, 
N.  Y.,  a  very  successful  horticulturist,  wrote  me  that 
he  always  in  the  spring  placed  three  inches  of  hog- 
manure  under  every  bush,  and  raised  the  best  English 
varieties  in  that  way  in  the  greatest  abundance  and 


100  THE    GOOSEBERRY. 

perfection,  without  its  being  affected  in  the  least  by 
the  mildew. 

Mr.  D.  Haines,  near  Elizabethtown,  K  J.,  informs 
me  that  he  cultivates  Woodward's  Whitesmith  most 
successfully  by  removing  a  few  inches  of  the  surface- 
earth,  every  spring,  under  every  bush,  and  filling  the 
space  with  salt  hay,  which  he  covers  with  the  earth  ; 
thus  affording  protection  from  drought,  and  perfectly 
exempting  the  fruit  from  mildew.  Others  find  a  remedy 
in  sprinkling  ashes  on  the  bushes  when  the  dew  is  on, 
The  ashes  also  benefit  the  plant.  Any  good  mulch  of 
tan  bark,  saw-dust,  &c.,  of  three  inches  deep,  would 
answer  nearly  the  same  purpose  as  salt  hay.  Sprink- 
ling the  bushes  in  the  spring  freely  with  soap-suds  also 
has  a  good  effect  on  their  growth,  and  often  protects 
them  from  mildew.  The  bushes  should  be  transplanted 
in  April  or  late  in  October  or  November,  and  pruned 
back  and  set  at  a  distance  of  about  three  feet,  like  the 
currant.  If  any  large  fruit  is  wanted,  the  fruit  must 
be  thinned  out.  The  Encyclopaedia  of  Gardening  says 
of  the  famous  growers  in  Lancashire,  England,  who 
produce  the  largest  fruit  in  the  world  :  "To  effect  this 
increased  size,  every  stimulant  is  applied  that  their 
ingenuity  can  suggest ;  they  not  only  annually  manure 
the  soil  richly,  but  also  surround  the  plants  with 
trenches  of  manure  for  the  extremities  of  the  roots  to 
strike  into,  and  form  around  the  stem  of  each  plant  a 


THE    GOOSEBERRY.  101 

basin,  to  be  mulched,  or  manured,  or  watered,  as  may 
be  necessary. 

"  They  also  practice  what  they  term  suckling  their 
prize  fruit.  By  preparing  a  very  rich,  cool  soil,  and  by 
watering,  and  by  the  use  of  liquid  manure,  shading  and 
thinning,  the  large  fruit  of  the  prize  cultivator  is  pro- 
duced. Not  content  with  watering  at  root  and  over  the 
top,  the  Lancashire  connoisseur,  when  he  is  growing  for 
exhibition,  places  a  small  saucer  of  water  under  each 
gooseberry,  only  three  or  four  of  which  he  leaves  on  a 
tree ;  this  he  technically  calls  suckling." 

The  gooseberry  tree  needs  to  be  kept  constantly  in 
a  vigorous  condition,  and  then  it  will  produce  an 
abundance  of  good  fruit. 

It  should  be  propagated  from  cuttings  of  the  wood 
of  the  present  year,  prepared  and  set  out  early  in  Sep- 
tember, and  transplanted  in  October  of  next  year,  or 
very  early  in  the  following  spring;  and  should  be 
pruned  in  June  and  November,  and  renewed  every 
five  or  six  years.  The  short  stout  growth  from  the 
fruit  stem  makes  better  bushes  than  longer  cuttings 
from  the  thrifty  suckers. 

The  fruit  is  well  adapted  for  pies  and  tarts  when  in 
a  green  state,  and  the  best  varieties  when  well  grown 
and  ripe  are  very  excellent  and  acceptable  for  the 
table  or  hand.  Says  Mr  Downing :  "As  a  luxury  for 
the  poor,  Mr.  Loudon  considers  this  the  most  valuable 


102  THE   GOOSEBERRY. 

of  all  fruits,  since  it  can  be  grown  in  -less  space,  in 
more  unfavorable  circumstances,  and  brought  sooner 
into  bearing  than  any  other." 

Books  and  catalogues  are  filled  with  the  longest  lists 
of  names  of  different  kinds  of  the  gooseberry,  but 
afte*  experimenting  with  many  of  them  for  years,  and 
observing  them  under  various  circumstances,  we  are 
prepared  to  narrow  our  list  down  to  a  very  few  kinds, 
— as  we  have  studied  to.  do  with  the  other  fruits — 
which  we  think  combine  the  size,  flavor,  and  produc- 
tiveness of  all,  at  least  for  ordinary  cultivation. 


CROMPTON'S  SHEBA  QUEEN. 

This  is  the  largest  and  best  flavored  of  all  the 
English  varieties  we  have  seen.  Our  attention  was  at- 
tracted to  it  some  years  since  by  the  favorable  reports 
and  first  premium  of  the  Albany  Horticultural  Society, 
through  the  accurate  chairman  of  its  Fruit  Committee, 
Dr.  Herman  L.  Wendell,  who  says  of  it,  "  This  is  de- 
cidedly the  richest  and  most  delicious,  as  well  as  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  berries  we  have.  It  is  larger  in 
size  than  any  of  the  others ;  obovate  form ;  white,  clear 
color ;  very  pleasant,  rich,  and  luscious  in  its  flavor, 
and  erect  in  its  growth.  It  requires  a  deep,  rich,  and 


VARIETIES.  103 

well-drained,  as  well  as  cool  soil."  In  other  locations  it 
sustains  the  same  high  character  there  given  of  it,  and 
we  have  found  it  decidedly  the  best  in  our  own  garden. 

WOODWARD'S  WHITESMITH. 

This  is  another  large,  beautiful,  and  excellent  Eng- 
lish variety — very  productive,  and  is  usually  over  one 
inch  in  length.  The  color  is  white,  and  tree  of  erect 
habit. 

Eoaring  Lion  and  Crown  Bob  Warrington  are  also 
large,  good  varieties  of  red  color. 

Golden  Drop  and  Yellow  Lion  are  fine  yellow  kinds. 

Green  Laurel,  Conquering  Hero,  and  Green  Willow, 
green  varieties. 

We  might  name  a  great  number  of  varieties  nearly 
as  good,  but  do  not  know  that  any  benefit  could  be 
derived  from  it. 

HOUGHTON'S  SEEDLING. 

An  American  seedling  of  very  vigorous  habit,  great 
bearer,  and  said  never  to  mildew.  It  is  of  pale  red 
color,  rather  under  medium  size ;  of  good,  rich  flavor, 
and  well  worthy  of  cultivation. 

We  have  also  cultivated  for  some  years  an  American 
seedling  variety  resembling  Houghton's  Seedling  in 
every  respect,  except  being  of  larger  size,  and  greenish- 
white  color.  It  is  very  valuable. 


THE  GRAPE. 


IT  has  often  been  asserted — we  know  not  with  how 
much  of  truth — that  in  the  vine  districts  of  'France, 
lung  diseases  are  unknown ;  but  this  we  do  now,  that 
the  free  use  of  well-grown  and  well-ripened  grapes 
would  be  decidedly  beneficial  to  the  general  health. 
The  cultivation  of  this  excellent  fruit  embraces  a  very 
wide  range.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  the  very  nice 
process  of  raising  hot-house  grapes:  next,  the  cold 
vinery,  which  is  simple  and  easy  to  be  practised ;  next, 
vineyard  cultivation :  but  it  will  not  be  expected  of  us, 
in  this  brief  notice,  to  more  than  refer  to  the  common 
mode  of  out-door  garden  culture.  The  grape  is  easily 
and  cheaply  raised,  but  good  cultivation  is  altogether 
the  best  economy.  It  is  easily  propagated  from  cut- 
tings. We  have  found  it  the  best  way  to  prune  ofl 
our  cuttings  early  in  February,  two  feet  in  length, 
bury  them  in  a  bundle  four  or  six  inches  deep  in  the 
ground  immediately,  and  for  this  purpose  we  choose 
the  warmest  wea  ther  in  the  month. 

(104) 


THE    GRAPE.  105 

Let  them  be  in  the  ground  till  the  warm  weather  in 
the  fore  part  of  May :  we  then  take  them  up  and  plant 
them  in  a  sloping  position,  in-  a  somewhat  shaded 
situation,  leaving  the  upper  bud  a  few  inches  above 
ground.  In  this  way  almost  every  cutting  will  surely 
grow,  and  after  a  year  or  two,  should  be  carefully 
transplanted  into  the  vine  border. 

The  preparation  of  this  vine  border  is  an  important 
process  in  grape  culture  in  private  gardens.  It  should 
be  made  from  four  to  six  feet  wide,  and  two  to  three 
feet  deep,  and  be  composed  of  a  liberal  mixture  of 
limestone,  or  old  plaster  or  mortar,  bones,  leather- 
parings,  hair,  ashes,  and  strong,  well-rotted  manure, 
well  mixed  with  the  soil. 

A  calcareous  soil  or  gravelly  loam  is  best  for  the 
grape,  and  should  be  well  drained  and  warm.  "  The 
essence,"  says  Downing,  "of  all  that  can  be  said  in 
grape  culture  respecting  soil,  is  that  it  be  dry,  light, 
deep,  rich."  It  is  somewhat  difficult  in  wet  clay  lands 
to  raise  good  grapes,  unless  the  vine  border  is  carefully 
prepared.  Soap-suds  and  wash  from  the  house  is  favor- 
able for  the  grape,  and  we  have  known  some  plants 
succeed  well  that  were  placed  immediately  under  the 
spout  of  the  sink.  For  vineyard  culture,  the  nearer 
the  process  approximates  to  the  one  described  above 
by  trenching  and  enriching,  the  better. 

Every  plant  should  be  thoroughly  pruned  down  to 
6* 


106  THE    GEAPE. 

two  or  three  leading  shoots ;  and  after  these  cover  the 
trellis  or  stakes  as  extensively  as  you  wish,  then  the 
rule  in  pruning  is,  every  year  from  December  to  first 
of  February,  fearlessly  to  cut  back  all  of  the  last  year's 
growth,  so  far  as  to  leave  only  two  eyes.  It  is  also 
desirable,  after  the  grapes  are  beginning  to  fill  in  June, 
to  pinch  back  the  terminal  bud  of  every  branch,  and 
thus  check  its  growth,  and  throw  back  its  sap,  to  ripen 
the  fruit  and  mature  the  wood.  By  pinching  back,  we 
mean,  to  pinch  off  with  the  thumb-nail  and  fore-finger 
the  end  of  every  bearing  branch,  and  we  then  cut  out 
all  the  superfluous  little  shoots  and  suckers. 

The  vine  is  composed  the  greater  part  of  potash, 
lime,  and  carbonic  acid,  and  therefore  a  frequent  appli- 
cation of  ashes,  lime,  and  soap-suds  is  beneficial.  It 
has  been  asserted  that  tartaric  acid  is  a  valuable  spe- 
cific for  the  fruit,  but  of  this  we  have  no  personal 
knowledge. 

The  grape  should  always  be  grown  in  the  warmest 
and  most  sheltered  situation,  so  that  the  fruit  may 
ripen  well  before  frost.  The  south  side  of  a  house,  or 
southern  slope  of  a  side-hill,  should  be  chosen. 

In  some  places  the  mildew  is  troublesome  to  the 
grape,  but  sulphur  sprinkled  liberally  on  its  first  ap- 
pearance will  usually  check  it  at  once.  There  is  also 
a  kind  of  snail  slug  which  often  destroys  the  leaves  in 
a  few  weeks.  These  can  easily  be  destroyed  by  shower* 


VARIETIES.  107 

ing  the  vines  two  or  three  times  with  strong  soap-suds 
from  the  wash. 

Our  nurserymen  have  many -kinds  of  the  grape  on 
their  lists  for  open-air  cultivation,  but  we  are  not  quite 
sure  that  the  Isabella  and  Catawba  do  not  comprise  sub- 
stantially the  good  qualities  of  all  The  only  complaint 
against  them  seems  to  be,  they  will  not  in  all  situations 
and  all  seasons  at  the  North  ripen  before  the  frost. 

THE  ISABELLA  is  the  well-known  and  most  popular 
grape  North.  It  is  a  most  vigorous  grower,  hardy, 
an  immense  bearer,  large  size,  black  oval,  and  when 
ripe,  juicy,  sweet,  musky,  and  rich.  Kipens  well  as 
far  north  as  forty-three  degrees  of  latitude. 

THE  CATAWBA  does  not  always  ripen  well  so  far 
north  as  forty- three  degrees.  Otherwise  it  would  rival 
the  Isabella.  It  has  large  berries,  copper-colored,  with 
a  fresh  bloom,  flesh  a  little  pulpy ;  juicy,  sweet,  aro- 
matic, musky,  and  rich,  productive  and  hardy.  It 
requires  a  warm  soil  and  sheltered  location  north  of 
New  York  to  perfect  its  fruit,  and  then  it  is  truly  deli- 
cious. 

THE  CLINTON  is  two  weeks  earlier  than  the  Isabella, 
but  it  is  not  near  so  large  or  good. 


108  THE    GEAPE. 

We  are  in  great  want  of  a  new  seedling  grape  equal 
or  superior  to  the  Isabella  and  Catawba,  and  decidedly 
two  or  three  weeks  earlier.  We  often  have  such  an- 
nounced, but  they  do  not  always  prove  satisfactory. 

THE  CONCOKD  is  a  large,  handsome  grape,  newly 
originated  by  Mr.  Bull,  of  Concord.  It  resembles  the 
Isabella  in  appearance,  is  about  two  weeks  earlier, 
and  on  that  account  an  acquisition ;  is  of  good  flavor, 
although  not  equal,  we  think,  to  that  grape  in  flavor. 
It  is  a  little  shade  foxy. 

THE  DIANA  is  a  pleasant  new  grape,  resembling  the 
Catawba  in  color  and  flavor,  of  smaller  size  and  some 
two  or  three  weeks  earlier. 

THE  BLACK  MADEIKA  is  a  small  pleasant  wine 
grape.  Farther  south,  the  Bland,  Ohio,  Serbernonfs, 
Norton's,  WJiitc  Scuppemong,  Warren,  &c.,  are  popular. 
The  Delaware,  is  now  the  favorite  grape  for  earliness, 
hardiness,  rich,  sweet  vinous  flavor,  unsurpassed  both 
for  the  table  and  for  wine. 

The  Anna,  Rebecca,  Iowa,  Crevelling,  and  other  new 
varieties,  promise  well. 

Hartford  Prolific  is  a  very  hardy,  early  good  variety 


10f 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX  A. 


THE    STRAWBERRY    AND   ITS   CULTURE 

BY  CHARLES  A,  PEABODT,  OF  COLUMBUS,  GEO. 

TH  AT  eminent  horticulturists  are  liable  to  be  mistaken 
in  their  views  of  culture,  as  well  as  of  the  origin  and 
history  of  plants,  as  any  other  class  of  men,  we  have 
ample  proof  in  the  conflicting  opinions  of  the  nature 
and  culture  of  the  strawberry.  Downing  says :  "  The 
strawberry  is  the  most  delicious  and  most  wholesome 
of  all  berries,  and  the  most  universally  cultivated  in 
all  gardens  of  a  northern  climate."  Again  he  says : 
"The  strawberry  properly  belongs  to  cold  climates, 
and  though  well  known,  is  of  comparatively  litle  value 
in  the  south  of  Europe."  With  this  high  authority, 
the  horticulturists  of  the  South  never  dreamed  of  cul- 
tivating the  strawberry  to  any  extent,  although  the 
woods  and  fields  were  covered  with  the  wild  fruit.  It 

was  a  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  the  wild  strawberry 

(Hi) 


112  APPENDIX. 

grew  all  around  me,  that  induced  me  tc  try  strawberry 
culture  at  the  South.  I  do  not  believe  there  is  a  plant 
in  nature  that  so  easily  adapts  itself  tc  soil,  situation, 
and  climate,  as  the  strawberry.  In  many  of  its  homes, 
however,  it  produces  little  or  no  fruit,  spreading  itself 
rapidly  by  its  runners. 

Now,  as  there  are  two  ways  of  propagating  the 
strawberry,  one  by  its  seeds  and  the  other  by  its  run- 
ners, the  question  is,  which  method  do  we  prefer  ?  If 
we  were  going  to  introduce  the  strawberry -leaf  for  a 
tea,  for  which  it  makes  a  good  substitute,  common 
sense  would  dictate  to  us  to  cultivate  for  runners,  and 
stop  the  fruiting,  or  perfecting  the  seed,  as  the  fruit  is 
nothing  more  than  the  receptacle  for  the  seed ;  and  if; 
on  the  other  hand,  we  wish  seeds  or  fruit,  we  must 
cultivate  for  that  purpose  alone,  and  stop  the  runners. 

Intelligent  experimental  cultivators  have  long  since 
discovered  that  plants  have  a  specific  food  for  their 
wood,  leaves,  and  fruit.  Physiologists  know  full  well 
that  it  takes  different  substances  to  form  the  bones, 
flesh,  and  muscles  of  animals ;  and,  profiting  by  these 
hints  in  nature,  I  would  feed  for  fruit  instead  of  vines. 
Before  planting  out  the  vines,  the  cultivator  should 
understand  the  sexual  character  of  the  plants,  as  upon 
a  proper  knowledge  of  this  fact  will  depend  his  whole 
success  in  culture.  That  plants  are  staminate  and  pis- 
tillate, or  male  and  female,  no  intelligent  cultivator  wilJ 


APPENDIX. 

now  presume  to  deny.  But  in  the  strawberry  there 
are  three  varieties — the  perfect  male,  the  perfect  female, 
and  the  hermaphrodite.  The  -perfect  pistillate,  or 
female,  is  the  most  productive  of  the  three,  when  im- 
pregnated by  one  of  the  other  kinds.  The  perfect 
staminate,  or  male,  produces  no  fruit,  making  a  great 
show  of  flowers,  and  sending  out  innumerable  runners 
which  will  soon  take  possession  of  the  whole  bed. 
The  hermaphrodite  produces  fruit,  but  not  in  so  great 
abundance  as  the  pistillate,  and  answers  the  purpose  of 
an  impregnator  equally  as  well  as  the  purely  staminate. 
These  three  varieties  of  flowers  are  represented  by  Figs. 
1,  2,  and  3,  page  51. 

Fig.  1  is  from  an  hermaphrodite  plant,  which  blooms 
and  impregnates  itself.  The  stamens,  marked  a,  are 
full  of  a  fine  pollen,  or  yellow  powder,  which  falling 
on  the  end  of  the  unopened  calyx  of  the  buds,  below 
the  flower,  or  around  it,  on  the  pistillate  plants,  is 
carried  by  an  unseen  agency  direct  to  the  pistil,  im- 
pregnating and  setting  the  fruit.  This  variety  is  the 
Early  Scarlet,  a  continuous  bloomer  with  my  culture, 
and  the  best  impregnator  for  the  ever-bearing  Hovey 
Seedling  I  have  ever  met. 

Fig.  2  is  the  sterile  staminate,  or  male  plant,  never 
producing  fruit  under  any  circumstances  whatever.  It 
will  be  observed  the  flower  is  larger  and  more  showy 
than  the  others.  It  deceives  many  an  inexperienced 


114  APPENDIX. 

cultivator  with  its  false  promises  of  fruit.  The  flower 
of  the  pure  male  may  be  easily  known  by  its  large 
anthers  and  stamens,  as  marked  a,  6,  in  Fig.  2. 

Fig.  3  is  the  pistillate  or  female  blossom.  It  will  be 
observed  that  there  are  no  stamens  around  the  pistil,  as 
6,  but  nearly  every  bud  will  produce  a  berry  if  impreg- 
nated by  one  of  the  staminate  or  hermaphrodite  plants. 
Of  this  variety  is  the  Hovey  Seedling,  which,  as  far  as 
my  experience  goes,  is  the  best  strawberry  ever  yet 
cultivated,  North  or  South. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  method  of  culture,  I  will 
give  my  views  of  the  time  of  impregnation,  being  fully 
satisfied  that  the  generally  received  opinion  that  the 
strawberry  is  impregnated  after  the  petals  expand,  is 
entirely  erroneous.  I  have  long  since  observed  that 
the  first  strawberry  blossoms  never  produce  fruit.  The 
staminate  varieties,  or  rather  the  hermaphrodite,  open 
from  two  to  ten  blossoms,  which  must  shed  their  pollen 
on  the  ends  of  the  unopened  calyx  of  the  young  buds 
below,  or  fall  on  the  ends  of  the  unopened  pistillate 
buds,  and  immediately  cause  impregnation. 

The  pollen  of  flowers  is  one  of  the  most  volatile 
substances  in  nature.  That  of  the  strawberry,  viewed 
through  a  microscope,  is  a  hairy  substance,  which, 
upon  ripening,  bursts  and  floats  off  on  the  least 
breath  of  air.  The  point  of  the  unopened  calyx 
contains  a  glutinous  matter,  which  catches  and  holda 


APPENDIX.  115 

this  hairy  pollen,  and  the  work  of  impregnation  is 
done ;  and  when  the  calyx  opens,  and  the  petals  ex- 
pand, the  young  strawberry  may  be  seen  perfectly 
formed.  From  this  will  be  seen  the  importance  of  the 
pistillate  and  staminate  varieties  blooming  together.  I 
would  always  prefer  the  pistillate  plant  for  a  large  fruit 
crop ;  for,  if  properly  impregnated,  nearly  every  bud 
will  be  a  fcerry.  Thousands  of  blossoms  will  be 
found  in  the  beds  to  correspond  with  Figures  2  and  3. 
Fig.  2,  let  it  be  recollected,  is  a  staminate  or  male 
flower,  and  Fig.  3  an  impregnated  pistillate  or  female 
flower,  neither  of  which,  by  itself,  can  ever  make  fruit. 

Having  now  explained  the  sexual  character  of  the 
plant,  and  the  time  of  impregnation,  I  will  proceed  to 
the  culture.  As  I  have  before  stated,  were  I  to  culti- 
vate for  vines  alone,  I  would  stimulate  the  plants  by 
the  most  active  fertilizers ;  but  if  fruit  be  the  object, 
the  luxuriance  of  the  vine  must  be  curtailed,  and  that 
food  only  known  as  the  special  food  of  the  fruit  given. 

Now  as  to  soils.  There  are  as  many  opinions  as  cul 
tivators,  from  the  fact  that  the  strawberry  adapts  itself 
to  almost  any  kind  of  soil.  But  the  soil  which  I  have 
found  to  suit  them  best,  is  a  sandy  loam.  I  would  pre- 
fer new  land  for  the  beds,  with  a  stream  of  water 
running  through  them,  as  water,  l>eing  an  indispensable 
requisite,  should  be  in  the  vicinity. 

It  is  now  well  known    throughout   the    Southern 


116  APPENDIX. 

States  that  for  many  years  I  have  cultivated  the 
strawberry  extensively,  and  have  had  from  my  beds 
a  constant  succession  of  fruit  six  months  in  the  year, 
and  frequently  have  it  ten.  While  I  am  now  writing, 
(December  24),  one  of  my  beds,  of  an  acre,  is  loaded 
with  ripe  fruit,  specimens  of  which  I  have  sent  to  New 
Orleans,  Montgomery,  Savannah,  Charleston,  Mobile, 
and  New  York.  This  bed  has  scarcely  produced  a 
runner  the  past  season.  The  causes  of  this  will  be 
found  in  my  method  of  culture.  I  have  said  that  I 
prefer  a  sandy  soil  and  new  land.  My  grounds  are  on 
what  are  called  "  piney  woodlands,"  hill  and  valley, 
with  never-failing  streams  meandering  through  them. 
I  have  taken  the  grounds  bordering  on  the  streams, 
ploughed  them  deep,  and  laid  them  off  in  rows,  two 
feet  apart,  and  planted  as  indicated  in  the  annexed 
diagram : — 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

Early  Scarlet 

* 

# 

* 

* 

* 

ft 

* 

* 

Hovey's. 

* 

ft 

* 

* 

* 

ft 

* 

•X- 

Hovey's. 

* 

ft 

ft 

* 

* 

* 

* 

ft 

Hovey's. 

* 

* 

* 

tf 

* 

* 

* 

* 

Hovey's. 

* 

* 

* 

# 

* 

* 

* 

* 

Hovey's. 

* 

* 

ft 

* 

* 

* 

ft 

* 

Hovey's. 

* 

ft 

ft 

* 

* 

* 

* 

ft 

Hovey's. 

o 

o 

o 

o 

0 

0 

0 

o 

"Rarlv  Scarlet 

I  plant  the  pistillate  for  fruit,  and  the  hermaphrodite 
for  impregnators ;    and  the  only  two  which  I  have 


APPENDIX.  117 

found  to  bloom  and  fruit  together  the  whole  season 
are  the  Ilovey  Seedling  and  Large  Early  Scarlet. 
Eoss  Phoenix,  Burr's  New  Pine;  and  a  seedling  of  my 
own,  not  yet  fully  tested,  I  have  also  caused  to  bear 
continuously.  I  plant  seven  rows  of  the  pistillate,  and 
one  row  of  the  hermaphrodite,  two  feet  apart  each 
way.  The  first  season  I  let  the  runners  fill  the  ground ; 
in  the  fail,  go  through  the  grounds  with  hoes,  thinning 
out  to  eight  or  ten  inches,  leaving  the  vines  to  decay 
just  where  they  are  cut  up.  I  then  cover  the  whole 
bed  with  partially  decomposed  leaves  from  the  woods 
or  swamps.  The  winter  rains  beat  down  the  leaves, 
the  fruit-germ  finds  its  way  through  them,  and  the  first 
mild  weather  of  spring  the  blossoms  appear. 

I  have  before  spoken  of  the  volatile  nature  of  the 
pollen.  In  very  dry  weather  the  particles  float  off  on 
the  winds,  and  much  .is  lost  to  the  buds  below ;  hence 
the  importance  of  watering  freely  when  in  bloom. 
Free  applications  of  water  will  set  the  whole  bed  with 
fruit,  which  will  require  continuous  watering  to  swell 
and  ripen  it.  A  strawberry  bed  may  be  moist,  the 
plants  in  fine  condition,  and  yet  one  good  shower  will 
make  a  difference  of  one-third  in  the  quantity  of  fruit 
picked  the  day  after.  Consequently,  in  dry  seasons, 
artificial  watering  must  be  resorted  to,  and  no  labor 
will  paj  better 

I  never  use  animal  manure  of  any  kind — nothing 


lib  APPENDIX. 

but  the  leaf-mould,  and  an  occasional  sprinkling  of 
wood-ashes.  The  leaf-mould  keeps  the  ground  cool 
and  moist,  as  well  as  the  fruit  clean,  and  does  not 
stimulate  the  vines  to  runners.  The  potash  and  acids 
contained  in  it  are  just  what  the  fruit  wants.  Should 
the  vines  be  disposed  to  spread,  keep  the  runners 
down  by  constant  pinching  off,  and  clear  out  the  grass 
and  weeds  with  the  hoe.  A  few  years  of  this  culture 
will  check  their  disposition  to  run,  and  encourage  them 
to  fruit.  The  bed,  once  thus  formed  and  cultivated, 
will,  to  my  certain  knowledge,  continue  productive 
twelve  years,  and,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  as  much 
longer  as  the  culture  is  continued.  Should  the  vines 
have  taken  possession  of  the  ground,  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  to  keep  the  runners  down,  we  go  through  in  the 
fall  with  the  hoe,  thinning  out  the  plants  to  ten  or 
twelve  inches,  leaving  every  cut-up  vine  to  decay  on 
the  ground  where  it  grew ;  we  then  cover  with  the 
decaying  leaves.  When  the  plants  begin  to  bloom  in 
the  spring,  a  top-dressing  of  wood-ashes  will  be  found 
beneficial.  I  have  tried  strawberry  culture  with  the 
plough,  which  will  make  a  greater  quantity  of  vines, 
but  will  give  only  one  crop  of  fruit.  It  is  generally 
remarked  that  the  wild  strawberry  is  finer  flavored 
than  the  cultivated ;  but  with  this  treatment  the  latter 
retains  all  the  original  flavor. 

It  has  been  recommended  by  some  cultivators  to 


APPENDIX.  119 

irrigate  the  strawberry  grounds  by  letting  water  on 
the  vines;  bat  the  strawberry,  cultivated  after  the 
manner  described,  can  bear  as  great  a  drought  as  any 
other  plant.  It  is  not  the  vines  and  leaves  that  want 
the  water,  but  the  flowers  and  fruit;  and  the  water 
must  come  in  the  form  of  rain,  through  the  clouds, 
from  an  engine,  or  a  common  watering-pot. 

I  have  noticed  quite  a  contest  going  on  among  hor- 
ticulturists as  to  the  possibility  of  strawberries  chang- 
ing their  sexual  character  by  cultivation.  Without 
taking  part  in  the  controversy,  I  must  state  that  I 
would  as  soon  think  of  high  feed  turning  a  cow  to  a 
bull,  as  to  change  the  pistillate  character  of  Hovey's 
Seedling  by  any  method  of  cultivation.  I  have  culti- 
vated the  strawberry  under  every  aspect ;  with  high 
manuring,  and  without  manure ;  in  new  lands,  and  on 
old  lands ;  have  had  the  vines  stand  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  inches  high,  and  in  meek  submission  to  hug 
the  ground ;  yet  I  have  never  found  the  least  change 
in  the  blossom.  A  perfect  pistillate  or  staminate  flower, 
first  blooming  so  from  seed,  will  never  bloom  any 
other  way.  Cultivators  are  often  deceived  about  their 
plants,  from  the  fact  that  they  frequently  find  varie- 
ties in  the  beds  which  they  did  not  plant ;  but  these 
spring  from  seed.  The  strawberry  springs  from  seed 
with  astonishing  rapidity.  Since  my  beds  were  started, 
the  whole  country  around  me  is  covered  with  straw 


120  APPENDIX. 

berry-plants  from  the  seed  dropped  by  birds.  These 
I  find  running  into  all  varieties — pistillate,  staminate, 
and  hermaphrodite — most  of  them  worthless,  but  some 
with  good  fruit. 

The  proper  time  for  transplanting  the  strawberry  at 
-the  South,  is  as  soon  in  the  fall  as  the  weather  is  cool 
and  moist  enough.  Here,  this  may  be  continued  until 
spring.  Plants  are  easily  transported  great  distances 
in  the  winter.  I  have  sent  them  2,000  miles  with 
safety.  It  will  be  observed  by  the  diagram,  that  I 
plant  the  staminate  every  eighth  row.  Some  cultiva- 
tors mix  in  the  rows;  but  I  prefer  to  keep  them  sepa- 
rate and  distinct,  as  they  are  more  easily  distinguished, 
and  kept  better  in  their  places. 

Now,  if  the  cultivator  would  know  the  secret  of  my 
having  strawberries  six,  eight,  and  even  ten  months  in 
the  year,  in  the  hot  climate  of  Georgia  and  Alabama, 
it  is  this :  proper  location,  vegetable  manures,  shade  to 
the  ground,  without  exhaustion,  and  water  to  the  bloom 
and  fruit. 

One  reason  why  so  many  fail  in  garden  culture  with 
.  the  strawberry  is,  that  the  beds  are  surrounded  by  trees 
and  shrubbery,  which  may  produce  one  crop  of  fruit 
in  the  spring,  but  rarely  more  than  that,  unless  i1 
should  prove  a  very  wet  season.  The  strawberry -bed, 
whether  in  the  garden  or  the  field,  should  have  no  tree, 
plant,  or  shrub  near  enough  to  it  to  take  the  moisture 


APPENDIX.  X2X 

from  the  earth.  The  plants  require  all  the  moisture 
from  the  atmosphere  and  the  earth  around  them. 
Whether  the  strawberry  was  originally  found  in  cold 
climates,  or  not,  I  find  they  readily  adapt  themselves 
to  any  climate,  and  very  soon  become  indigenous.  I 
doubt  whether  there  is  a  State  in  this  Union  that  can- 
not produce  the  strawberry  months,  instead  of  weeks, 
;TI  the  year,  with  proper  culture.  And  when  we  take 
into  consideration  the  ease  and  simplicity  of  its  cul- 
ture, its  continued  bearing  and  productiveness,  its 
exemption  from  all  insect  depredations,  its  delicious 
flavor  and  healthy  influence  upon  the  system,  it  ranks 
first  in  importance  among  the  fruits  of  the  earth. 


APPENDIX  B. 


[From  Downing's  Horticulturist] 

TWO  EXPERIMENTS  MADE  TO  TEST  MR.  LONGWORTH'S 
STRAWBERRY  THEORY. 

TAKING  Hovey's  Seedling  as  a  subject,  I  procured  a 
bell-glass,  and  placed  it  over  an  entire  plant  which  had 
not  bloomed.  The  flowers  expanded  well  under  the 
glass,  but  did  not  produce  one  berry.  The  plant  was 
frequently  agitated  to  put  the  pollen  in  motion,  if  there 
was  any. 

6 


122  APPENDIX. 

I  also  introduced  under  a  glass  some  blossom  buds 
before  they  had  blown.  These,  as  they  successively 
expanded,  showed  no  signs  of  swelling.  I  impreg- 
nated, at  different  times,  two  of  the  blossoms  by  hand, 
applying  the  pollen  from  another  plant  with  a  camel's 
hair  pencil.  These  two  set  their  fruit  perfectly.  The 
pistils  of  the  other  blossoms  soon  turned  to  a  dark 
color.  These  experiments  were  made  at  the  north 
side  of  a  picket  fence,  where  the  plants  were  screened 
from  the  full  effects  of  the  sun,  otherwise  the  heat 
under  the  glasses  would  have  been  too  great. 

These  experiments  prove,  to  my  mind,  very  conclu- 
sively, that  Hovey's  Seedling  will  not  bear  any  fruit 
unless  impregnated  by  some  staminate  variety.  And 
the  same  may  be  said  of  other  varieties  in  which  the 
stamens  are  obsolete.  I  have  had  some  plants  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  for  three  years,  in  a  position  where  they 
cannot  very  easily  be  impregnated  by  other  kinds, 
during  which  time  they  have  not  borne  one  berry, 
while  other  plants  of  the  same  variety,  exposed,  have 
been  productive.  A  difference  in  the  formation  of  the 
flowers  on  different  plants  is  not  confined  to  cultivated 
kinds,  but  may  be  seen  in  those  growing  wild  in  the 
fields,  the  pistillate  plants  of  which  I  have  often  exam- 
ined with  a  magnifying-glass,  to  see  if  I  could  didcover 
any  pollen,  but  have  never  been  able  to  find  it ;  I  am 
forced,  therefore,  to  believe  that  pistillate  plant*,  " 


APPENDIX.  123 

wild  and  cultivated,  are  absolutely  devoid  of  pollen, 
and  cannot,  therefore,  produce  any  fruit  except  when 
impregnated  by  others. 

I  am  also  convinced,  from  observation  and  theory, 
that  one  kind  will  never  change  to  the  other  by  offsets, 
the  runner  bearing  the  same  relation  to  the  plant  pro- 
ducing it  as  a  tree  grown  from  a  bud  does  to  the  tree 
from  which  it  was  taken.  It  may,  then,  be  asked,  How 
does  it  happen  that  there  are  pistillate  and  staminate 
plants  of  the  same  variety  ?  I  answer,  It  is  not  the/act, 
unless  they  have  sprung  from  seed,  or  the  plants  have 
been  taken  from  the  fields  in  a  wild  state. 

That  pistillate  plants  are  surer  and  better  bearers 
than  staminate  plants,  is,  I  think,  generally  true,  (pro- 
vided, of  course,  that  they  are  impregnated).  And  it 
would  seem  reasonable  to  infer  that  when  bat  one  of 
the  sexual  organs  is  complete,  the  other  will  have 
more  strength.  Plants,  therefore,  that  are  perfect  in 
both  organs,  require  a  higher  state  of  cultivation. 
There  is,  however,  a  wide  difference  in  the  produc- 
tiveness of  different  kinds  that  are  perfect  in  both 
organs,  some  being  much  more  liable  to  blast  than 
others.  G.  W.  HUNTSMAN. 

Flushing,  L.  I.  July  14,  1846. 


124  APPENDIX. 

APPENDIX    C, 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  Aug.  14,  1854. 
MR.  B.  G.  PARDEE  : 

DEAR  SIR: — By  this  mail  I  send  you  a  grape 
pamphlet,  containing  an  article  written  by  me  on  the 
strawberry.  I  will,  in  a  day  or  two,  send  you  a  Keport 
of  our  Strawberry  Committee,  written  by  Dr.  Warder, 
on  Mr.  Meehan's  doctrine  of  changing  a  pistillate  to  a 
staminate  plant.  Mr.  Meehan  finds  plants  that  he  took 
from  what  was  called  a  bed  of  Hovey's  Seedling,  and 
had  nearly  all  proved  staminates  or  hermaphrodites. 
Dr.  Warder  and  Mr.  Heath,  of  our  city,  saw  his  plants, 
and  found  about  one  Hovey  to  the  hundred.  The 
Hovey  is  so  strongly  marked  that  our  children  can 
distinguish  the  plant  from  all  others.  Mr.  Meehan 
never  heard  of  a  pistillate  plant  till  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica. I  sent  some  of  our  seedlings  to  the  President  of 
the  London  Horticultural  Society  last  winter,  and 
among  them  pistillates.  He  replied  that  he  was  not 
aware  that  there  were  plants  that  would  not  bear  fruit 
without  impregnation,  and  suggested  that  the  failure  to 
bear,  he  presumed,  was  from  frost.  He  promised  to 
investigate  the  subject.  Mr.  Huntsman,  of  Flushing, 
Long  Island,  is  a  botanist,  and  has  given  great  atten- 


APPENDIX.  125 

tion  to  the  cultivation  arid  sexes  of  the  plant.  From 
the  stem  and  leaf  he  can  designate  some  fifty  varieties 
that  he  has  had  in  cultivation,  I  would  recommend 
you  to  get  his  views.  It  is  singular  that  after  public 
attention  has  been  brought  to  the  question  for  twenty 
years  or  more,  even  botanists  and  horticultural  editors 
deny  the  doctrine.  If  generally  understood,  the  dis- 
covery of  the  ignorant  market-gardener  is  worth  mil- 
lions of  dollars.  After  I  had  made  the  discovery,  from 
a  chance  observation  of  a  son  of  Mr.  Abergust,  I  was 
at  the  gardens  of  persons  near  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
where  Mr.  Abergust  resided,  prior  to  his  emoval  to 
Cincinnati,  and  named  the  matter  to  them.  "  Oh,71 
said  they,  uwe  now  understand  it.  He  lived  near  us, 
and  from  the  same  space  of  ground  raised  five  times 
as  much  fruit  as  we  could,  and  larger.  Every  fall  he 
thinned  out  his  plants,  and  threw  them  in  the  road ; 
we  gathered  them,  and  planted  them  in  our  gardens, 
and  they  never  bore  a  single  fruit.  He  threw  out 
staminates  only,  and  to  deceive  them.  The  son  of  Mr. 
Abergust  was  in  my  garden  a  few  days  before  my 
plants  were  in  blossom,  and  observed,  "Your  straw- 
berries bear  a  bad  crop."  I  observed,  such  was  the 
fact.  He  added,  "They  are  all  males."  I  replied, 
"  That  is  all  nonsense.  The  strawberry  is  a  plant  that 
bears  flowers  perfect  in  both  organs."  "I  am  no 
botanist,"  said  he,  "  but  I  know  most  of  yours  will 


126  APPENDIX. 

bear  no  fruit."  I  requested  him  to  point  out  any  that 
would.  He-selected  two.  I  inquired,  "Can  you  then 
see  the  difference?"  "Not  now,"  said  he;  "I  could  if 
they  were  in  blossom."  I  found  him  disposed  to  give 
no  further  information.  I  marked  the  plants,  and 
when  in  blossom,  could  distinguish  them  at  a  distance 
of  several  feet.  There  was  not  one  of  these  to  the 
hundred.  Before  they  were  out  of  blossom,  I  cast 
them  all  out,  as  I  supposed ;  they  spread,  and  the  next 
season  I  had  a  full  crop.  But  finding  a  few  barren 
plants  before  they  were  out  of  blossom,  I  dug  them  all 
up,  and  the  next  season  had  not  a  single  berry.  I  then 
understood  the  subject,  and  made  it  known.  In  that 
day  \ve  had  no  hermaphrodite  plants. 

Yours  truly, 

N.  LONGWORTIT. 


CINCINNATI  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

THE  Secretary,  at  the  request  of  the  Society,  reported 
a  written  statement  of  how  he  found  the  strawberry 
question  in  Philadelphia ;  after  some  animated  discus- 
sion, it  was  moved  to  accept  and  file  the  report,  and 
the  finality  was  ordered  to  appear  in  the  minutes  of 
the  day. 

It  has  long  been  argued  by  some  distinguished  hor- 
ticultural writers  that  certain  varieties  of  the  straw- 


APPENDIX.  127 

berry — for  instance,  Ilovey's  Seedling — would  produce 
at  one  time  plants  with  pistillate,  and  at  another  time 
staminate  blossoms.  This  error  has  been  explained 
by  the  fact,  that  a  bed  of  strawberry  plants  of  any 
known  pistillate  variety,  after  standing  three  or  four 
years,  and  the  fruit  falling  and  decaying  on  the  bed, 
will  produce  seedling  plants,  and  of  course  new  varie 
ties,  and  these  are  as  likely  to  be  staminate  as  pistil- 
late sorts.  The  following  is  the 

FINALITY  ON  THE  STRAWBERRY. — Wild  or  culti- 
vated, the  strawberry  presents,  in  its  varieties,  four 
distinct  forms  or  characters  of  inflorescence. 

1st.  Those  called  Pistillate,  from  the  fact  that  the 
stamens  are  abortive,  and  rarely  to  be  found  without 
a  dissection  of  the  flower.  These  require  extrinsic 
impregnation. 

2d.  Those  called  Staminate,  which  are  perfectly  des- 
titute of  even  the  rudiments  of  pistils,  and  are  neces- 
sarily fruitless. 

3d.  Those  called  Hermaphrodite  or  perfect,  having 
both  sets  of  organs,  stamens  and  pistils,  apparently  well 
developed.  These  are  not  generally  good  and  certain 
bearers,  as  we  should  expect  them  to  be.  With  few 
exceptions  they  bear  poorly,  owing  to  some  unob- 
served defect,  probably  in  the  pistils.  One-tenth  of 
their  flowers  generally  produce  perfect  and  often  very 
large  bprries. 


128  APPENDIX. 

4th.  A  rare  class — a  sort  of  subdivision  of  the  pre- 
ceding— has  not  only  hermaphrodite  flowers,  but  also 
some  on  the  same  truss  that  are  of  the  pistillate  charac- 
ter ;  and  sometimes,  in  the  same  plant,  a  truss  will  be 
seen  on  which  all  the  flowers  are  pistillate. 

Now  these  four  divisions  are  natural  and  real;  they 
are  also  founded  upon  permanent  character,  so  far  as 
we  have  been  able  to  discover,  after  a  most  thorough 
investigation,  extending  through  a  long  series  of  years, 
during  which  millions  of  strawberry  blossoms  have 
been  examined  with  the  severest  scrutiny.  Other 
forms  may  exist,  and  it  is  not  claimed  to  be  impossible 
that  we  may  yet  find  a  seedling  which  shall  have  the 
general  character  of  a  pistillate,  that  may  show  an 
occasional  perfect  or  hermaphrodite  flower,  as  a  pecu- 
liarity of  that  individual,  but  we  have  never  yet 
observed  such  a  variety ;  and,  further,  we  believe  that 
whatever  impress,  as  to  peculiarities  of  foliage,  pubes- 
cence, habit,  inflorescence,  or  fruit,  each  distinct  seed- 
ling may  receive  with  its  origin,  it  will  be  retained  in 
its  increase  by  runners,  so  long  as  the  variety  remains 
extant.  Seedlings  may  vary  from  the  parent,  but 
off-shoots  will  not  be  materially  different,  except  by 
accidental  malformation  or  by  development  of  unim- 
portant organs. 

JOHN  A.  WARDER,  Secretary. 


APPENDIX.  129 


APPENDIX  D. 


Prom  the  •  Horticulturist,"  August,  1854    By  P.  BARBY,  Editor. 
THE    CULTIVATION    OF    THE  STRAWBERRY. 

THE  discussion  of  the  Strawberry  question,  which 
has  occupied  the  pages  of  agricultural  and  horticultural 
journals  so  largely  for  a  few  years  past,  has  been  the 
means,  directly  and  indirectly,  of  advancing  materially 
the  cultivation  of  that  fruit.  We  find  ample  evidence 
of  this  in  the  more  abundant  supply  of  our  markets, 
and  in  the  production  of  a  large  number  of  seedling 
varieties.  Recent  letters  from  correspondents  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  as  well  as  the  reports  of  late 
exhibitions,  all  testify  to  the  very  general  interest 
which  is  felt  on  the  subject,  and  the  progress  that  has 
Dcen  made.  But,  after  all,  we  are  constrained  to  say 
that  our  cultivation  is  yet  very  indifferent.  The  size 
and  appearance  of  the  great  bulk  of  fruit  offered  in 
market,  convince  us  of  this.  Those  who  know  how  to 
cultivate1  are  in  many  cases  slovenly,  or  act  upon  the 
principle  that  good  culture  will  not  pay ;  while  there 
are  many  who  fail  for  want  of  correct  information. 
We  have  now  before  us  a  large  number  of  inquiries  on 
the  subject.  One  wants  to  know  how  to  prepare  the 
soil  (  another,  wh«?n  to  plant ;  and  another,  how  to 
6* 


1 30  APPENDIX. 

plant.  Several  correspondents  who  are  well  informed 
on  the  subject  of  cultivation,  ask  us  to  give  them  the 
names  of  the  best  perfect-flowering  sorts,  as  they  are 
tired  of  keeping  separate  the  staminate  and  pistillate 
varieties.  We  have  therefore  thought  it  might  be 
w^ll  to  offer  a  few  hints  which  will  serve  as  a  general 
answer. 

We  will  state  here,  at  the  cutset,  that  to  cultivate 
the  strawberry  successfully,  .s  but  a  simple  matter. 
To  grow  large,  handsome,  fire-flavored  fruit  in  abun- 
dance, it  is  not  necessary  to  employ  a  chemist  to  furnish 
us  with  a  long  list  of  specifics,  nor  even  to  employ  a 
gardener  by  profession,  who  can  boast  of  long  years  of 
experience.  Any  one  who  can  manage  a  crop  of  corn 
or  potatoes,  can,  if  he  will,  grow  strawberries.  We 
say  this  much  by  way  of  encouragement,  because  so 
much  has  been  said  in  regard  to  various  methods  of 
culture,  and  various  applications  and  specifics,  that 
some  people  have  become  persuaded  that  a  vast  deal  of 
learning  and  experience  is  necessary  to*  produce  large 
crops  of  strawberries. 

Judging  from  what  we  have  seen,  we  believe  that 
the  great  cause  of  failure  is  negligence.  The  straw- 
berry plant — not  like  a  tree,  which  when  once  set  in 
its  place,  remains  there — is  constantly  sending  out 
shoots  (runners)  in  all  directions,  taking  possession  of 
the  ground  rapidh  arounc?  the  parent  plant.  In  a 


APPENDIX.  181 

short  time,  therefore,  unless  these  runners  are  kept  in 
check,  the  ground  becomes  entirely  occupied  with 
plants,  the  parent  plants  become  exhausted,  and  the 
ground  can  no  longer  be  stirred  or  kept  in  such  a  con- 
dition as  is  necessary  to  sustain  their  vigor.  The  re- 
sult is,  the  ground  is  covered  with  a  mass  of  starved 
and  weakly  plants,  choking  up  each  other  in  a  hard, 
uncultivated  soil,  and  producing  a  spare  crop  of  small, 
insipid  berries,  that  dry  up  on  their  stalks  before  they 
are  ripe,  unless  rain  happens  to  fall  every  day. 

The  constant  stirring  of  the  soil  around  the  plants 
is  one  thing  which  in  our  climate  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary ;  and  any  system  of  culture  which  precludes  this, 
or  throws  any  obstacle  in  its  way,  is  defective.  If  any 
one  will  examine  his  strawberry  beds,  he  will  find  the 
plants  along  the  outer  edges  of  the  beds,  where  the  soil 
has  been  kept  clean  and  fresh  by  the  frequent  use  of 
the  hoe,  vigorous  and  healthy,  with  luxuriant  dark- 
green  foliage,  and  large,  fine  fruit ;  while  in  the  interior 
of  the  beds,  where  the  plants  have  grown  into  masses, 
and  covered  all  the  ground,  so  as  to  prevent  its  culti- 
vation, they  are  yellow  and  sickly-looking,  and  the  fruit 
poor  and  wortless.  This  we  see  in  our  own  grounds, 
and  everywhere  that  we  find  plants  growing  under 
similar  circumstances.  Does  this  not  show  the  neces- 
sity of  cultivation  close  around  the  plants?  No  mat- 
ter how  deep  we  may  trench  the  soil,  or  how  unsparing 


132  APPENDIX. 

we  may  be  with  manures,  or  how  copiously  we  supply 
moisture,  this  cultivation  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  if 
we  aim  at  producing  fine  fruits,  and  abundance  of 
them.  "  But,"  says  one  cultivator,  "  by  allowing  the 
ground  to  be  all  occupied  with  plants,  we  save  all  tho 
labor  which  would  be  consumed  in  removing  the  run- 
ners, and  we  avoid  the  necessity  of  applying  a  mulch- 
ing to  keep  the  fruit  clean."  Yery  true,  you  save  some 
expense ;  but  what  do  you  get  in  return  ?  A  crop  of 
fruit  not  fit  for  the  table — small,  insipid,  and  so  dirty, 
if  a  heavy  rain  occurs  about  ripening- time,  that  it  must 
be  put  through  the  wash-tub  before  it  is  placed  on  the 
table.  It  is  possible  that  the  market-grower  may  be 
able  to  produce  berries  of  this  kind  at  a  less  price  per 
quart  than  he  could  by  a  careful,  cleanly,  and  thorough 
system  of  culture ;  but  then  he  can  expect  to  sell  such 
fruit  only  when  no  better  can  be  had.  We  have  some 
doubts,  however,  as  to  the  economy  of  bad  culture  in 
the  long  run.  If  a  proper  system  were  adopted  at  the 
outstart,  and  followed  up  with  regularity,  it  would  not 
be  found  so  profitless  or  expensive.  In  this,  as  in 
every  other  kind  of  culture,  a  system  is  absolutely 
necessary.  A  certain  routine  of  operations  which  are 
easily  executed  if  taken  at  the  right  time,  become  bur- 
densome when  deferred ;  and  being  so,  they  are  not 
^infrequently  put  off  altogether.  Precisely  thus  it  is 
that  strawberry  beds  are  neglected,  both  in  market 


APPENDIX.  133 

gardens  and  private  gardens,  until  they  are  grown 
wild  beyond  hope  of  recovery.  Now,  we  say  to  every 
one  who  wishes  to  cultivate  strawberries,  resolve  at 
once  upon  abandoning  the  "  lazy -bed"  system ;  and  if 
you  cultivate  but  a  square  rod,  do  it  well. 

We  advise  planting  in  rows  not  less  than  two  feet 
apart,  unless  ground  be  very  scarce,  when  eighteen 
inches  might  suffice,  and  the  plants  to  be  twelve  to 
eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  In  extensive  field 
culture,  the  rows  should  be  at  least  three  feet  apart,  in 
order  to  admit  the  use  of  the  plough  and  cultivator 
between  them,  or  even  the  passage  of  a  cart  to  deposit 
manures  or  mulching  material.  The  spade  and  wheel- 
barrow are  too  costly  impliments  for  an  extensive  cul- 
ture where  labor  is  scarce  and  high,  as  with  us.  From 
the  time  the  plants  are  set  until  the  fruit  is  gathered, 
the  runners  should  be  cut  away  as  fast  as  they  appear, 
and  the  ground  be  kept  clear  of  weeds,  and  well 
worked. 

In  the  fall,  or  before  the  setting  in  of  winter,  a 
mulching  of  half-decayed  leaves  or  manure  should  be 
placed  between  the  rows,  coming  close  around  the 
plants,  leaving  the  crown  or  heart  uncovered.  This 
mulching  prevents  the  plants  from  being  drawn  out 
and  weakened,  or  destroyed  by  freezing  and  thawing 
in  winter.  We  have  sometimes  covered  the  entire 
beds,  plants  and  all,  with  newly -fallen  leaves ;  and  by 


134  APPENDIX. 

raking  them  off  early  in  the  spring,  the  plants  came 
out  in  fine  order.  In  the  same  way  we  have  covered 
with  clean  wheat  straw,  and  found  it  answer  well.  In 
all  the  Northern  and  Western  States,  some  winter  pro- 
tection is  of  great  service,  although  not  indispensable. 
In  field  culture,  the  earth  might  be  ploughed  up  to 
the  plants,  as  is  done  with  nursery  trees,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  afford  considerable  protection  against  the 
action  of  frost  on  the  root. 

As  soon  as  the  fruit  begins  to  attain  its  full  size,  and 
approach  maturity,  the  spaces  between  the  rows,  which 
up  to  this  time  have  been  under  clean  culture,  should 
be  covered  with  straw,  litter,  or  moss.  This  will 
serve  the  double  purpose  of  keeping  the  fruit  clean 
and  retaining  the  moisture  in  the  soil.  When  copious 
supplies  of  water  are  to  be  applied,  which  should 
always  be  done  when  practicable,  stable  litter  is  a  good 
mulching,  as  the  water  poured  on  it  carries  down  with 
it  to  the  roots  of  the  plants  the  fertilizing  materials 
which  it  contains. 

The  application  of  water  in  abundance  we  must 
again  recommend  to  all  who  want  the  finest  fruit. 
Rains  are  very  good,  but  they  cannot  be  relied  upon, 
and  they-  always  deprive  the  fruit  of  its  flavor,  while 
artificial  waterings  do  not.  On  this  account  the 
French  gardeners  say  that  the  strawberry  "  prefers 
water  from  the  well  to  water  from  the  clouds."  It  is 


APPENDIX.  13j 

supposed  that  the  electricity  which  pervades  the  atmos- 
phere during  our  summer  rains  affects  the  flavor  of 
the  fruit. 

When  the  crop  has  been  gathered,  the  mulching 
material  between  the  rows  should  be  removed  and  the 
ground  be  forked  over,  so  that  if  plants  a,re  wanted  to 
form  a  new  plantation,  their  growth  will  be  encour- 
aged. The  same  plants  should  not  be  relied  upon  for 
more  than  two  crops.  The  labor  of  making  -a  new 
bed,  save  the  trenching  of  the  soil,  is  no  more  than 
that  of  planting  a  plot  of  cabbages. 

As  to  the  season  for  planting,  we  would  recommend 
the  spring  for  large  plantations,  because  then  there  is 
comparatively  no  risk  of  failure.  The  amateur,  how- 
ever, who  wishes  only  to  plant  a  bed  in  his  garden, 
may  do  it  at  any  time  that  he  can  procure  good  plants. 
If  the  growth  of  runners  is  encouraged  in  July,  after 
the  fruit  is  gathered,  good,  well  rooted  runners  may  be 
had  about  the  first  of  September,  or  it  may  be  sooner. 
The  young  plants  nearest  the  parent  plant  should 
always  be  chosen,  if  possible.  In  planting  during  the 
month  of  August  or  September,  rainy  weather  should 
be  chosen,  if  possible,  but  it  may  be  safely  done,  even 
in  a  dry  time,  by  using  water  freely.  Water  the  plants 
well  before  taking  them  up,  as  it  injures  the  roots  very 
much  to  draw  them  out  of  dry  ground ;  then  water  the 
soil  thoroughly  where  they  are  to  be  set,  before  plant- 


136  APPENDIX. 

ing.  A  sprinkling  will  be  of  no  use :  it  must  go  down 
deep,  as  a  heavy  rain  would.  Set  the  plants  in  the 
evening,  and  shade  them  a  few  days  with  boards  set 
on  edge,  forming  a  sort  of  roof  over  them.  Mulch 
them,  too,  with  short  litter ;  and  it  will  be  well,  if  the 
plants  be  large,  to  remove  some  of  the  lower  and 
Itirger  leaves.  Planting  can  be  done  safely  in  spring 
any  time  until  the  plants  are  in  blossom — and  all 
summer,  for  that  matter,  with  proper  care. 

We  have  thus  briefly  sketched  the  principal  opera- 
tions in  strawberry  culture ;  not  in  regular  order,  it  is 
true,  but  we  hope  so  as  to  be  understood.  "We  are  not 
writing  a  book,  and  cannot  enter  into  all  the  details 
with  minuteness.  We  have  said  nothing  of  the  soil, 
and  will  only  remark  that  any  good  garden  soil  fit  to 
produce  culinary  vegetables,  or  any  good  farm  land  fit 
for  grain  or  root  crops,  will  produce  good  strawberries ; 
bat  it  must  be  deeply  ploughed,  or  trenched,  say  twenty 
inches  at  least,  and  liberally  manured  with  well-deco  n 
posed  stable  manure  or  a  good  compost.  The  quantity 
of  manure  must  vary  according  to  the  degree  of  natural 
fertility  of  the  soil.  In  one  case,  a  quantity  equal  to 
six  inches  deep  all  over  the  surface  would  not  be  too 
much ;  while  in  other  cases,  half  that  would  be  enough. 

We  would  prefer  not  to  make  a  strawberry  planta- 
tion twice  on  the  same  ground ;  but  when  circumstances 
render  it  inconvenient  to  change,  rows  of  young  plants 


APPENDIX.  137 

might  be  set.  or  allowed  to  establish  themselves  from 
the  runners,  between  the  old  rows,  which  can  then  be 
turned  under  with  the  spade,  and  will  serve  to  enrich 
the  ground.  I 

Now  as  to  varieties.  On  this  point  there  is  room 
for  a  great  diversity  of  opinion,  and  we  cannot  hope  to 
name  a  list  that  will  be  acceptable  to  a  very  large  num- 
ber of  persons,  at  least  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 
Planters  must  have  recourse  to  the  best  experience  to 
be  found  in  their  respective  localities ;  in  the  mean  time 
we  shall  express  our  opinion  of  a  few  varieties,  and  let 
it  go  for  what  it  is  worth. 

It  happens  that  in  this  country  the  greater  number 
of  our  most  productive  varieties  have  but  one  set  of 
the  organs  of  fecundation.  A  fruitful  flower  must 
have  both  pistils  and  stamens  perfectly  developed. 
The  stamens  are  regarded  as  the  male  organs,  and  the 
pistils  the  female.  When  a  flower  has  well-developed 
pistils,  but  no  stamens,  or  imperfect  ones,  it  must  be 
impregnated  by  pollen  from  other  flowers.  Where  a 
flower  has  no  pistils,  or  has  imperfect  ones,  it  is  utterly 
barren.  A  large  number  of  our  best  American  vari- 
eties—  such  as  Hovetfs  Seedling,  Burr's  New  Pine, 
AfcAvoy's  Superior,  Moyamensing,  &c. — are  wanting  in 
stamens,  and  therefore  foreign  impregnation  is  neces- 
sary. In  Europe  this  distinction  is  not  observed  to 
any  extent,  and  all  the  English  and  continental  varie 


138  APPENDIX. 

ties,  as  fur  as  WL  know,  are  hermaphrodite.  In  this 
eountry  very  many  of  them  fail  from  an  imperfect 
development  of  the  pistils,  and  are  consequently  bar- 
ren, owing  doubtless  to  the  effects  of  climate  and  cul- , 
ture.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  two  should  be  in 
close  proximity  ;  they  are  sure  to  get  impregnated,  if 
in  the  same  garden,  as  the  pollen  is  carried  about  from 
one  flower  to  another  by  insects.  The  beds  of  the 
different  sorts  may  be  kept  entirely  separate.  Mixing 
them  up  is  a  bad  way,  as  the  one  outgrows  and  over- 
runs the  other,  and  they  become  so  confused  that 
nothing  can  be  done  with  them.  On  this  account 
many  have  grown  tired  of  keeping  up  the  distinction, 
and  have  resolved  to  cultivate  hermaphrodite  sorts 
only. 

The  following  varieties  are  the  best  on  the  long  list 
of  those  we  have  tested  on  our  own  grounds : 

PISTILLATE. — Burr's  New  Pine,  Jenny's  Seedling, 
McAvoy's  Superior,  Hovey's  Seedling,  Moyamonsing, 
Monroe  Scarlet,  and  Crimson  Cone.  The  finest  flavored 
variety,  among  these  is  Burr's  New  Pine  ;  the  largest, 
Hovey's  Seedling ;  and  the  finest  and  best  for  market. 
Jenny's  Seedling  and  Crimson  Cone.  Hovey's  Seed- 
ling, in  Western  New  York,  and  in  many  parts  of  the 
West,  is  a  very  moderate,  and,  in  many  cases,  a  poor 
bearer.  We  have  had  no  crop  so  heavy  the  past  season 
(when  all  bore  well)  as  on  the  Monroe  Scarlet. 


APPENDIX.  139 

STAMINATE,  OH  HERMAPHRODITE. — Large  Early 
Scarlet,  Walker's  Seedling,  Iowa,  Boston  Pine,  and 
Genesee.  All  these  may  be  grown  successfully  for 
market,  and  are  good,  without  being  first-rate  in 
flavor.  We  think  much  more  of  Walker's  Seedling 
now  than  we  did  last  season.  It  is  very  hardy,  and  a 
great  bearer.  It  appears  to  be  a  seedling  from  the 
Black  Prince.  The  Boston  Pine  is  the  most  uncertain 
on  the  whole  list;  without  good  soil  and  culture  it 
fails  entirely. 

Besides  the  above  list,  we  would  recommend  to 
amateurs,  who  are  willing  to  bestow  thorough  cultiva- 
tion and  care  on  their  plants,  the  British  Queen,  which, 
when  well  grown,  surpasses  in  size,  beauty  and  excel- 
lence, any  we  have  named.  The  Bicton  Pine,  a  large 
and  beautiful  white  variety,  which  ripens  late.  We 
have  had  a  fine  crop  of  it  this  season,  although  our 
plants — being  set  last  year — were  seriously  injured  last 
winter.  Like  all  the  foreign  sorts,  it  needs  protection, 
and  a  deep,  rich  soil,  with  abundant  moisture.  The 
Wood  Strawberries — red  and  white — bear  most  pro- 
fusely in  all  places  and  last  a  long  time  ;  besides,  they 
part  freely  from  the  calyx,  and  are  therefore  easily  and 
rapidly  picked,  and  thoir  flavor  is  rich  and  agreeable 
to  most  people.  In  addition  to  these,  we  must  mention 
the  Bush  Alpine,  (having  no  runners),  perpetual  bear- 
ers, if  kept  liberally  supplied  with  moisture.  They 


140  APPENDIX. 

deserve  much  more  extensive  cultivation  than  they 
now  receive.  With  their  assistance,  we  may  enjoy 
strawberries  not  one  month  only  \)ntfour  months. 


APPENDIX  E. 
LETTER  FROM  PETER  B.  MEAD. 

SEPTEMBER  1st,  1854. 

E.  G.  PARDEE,  Esq. :  Dear  Sir — Your  request,  that 
I  would  give  you  a  few  remarks  on  the  culture  of  the 
strawberry,  I  will  now  comply  with,  but  necessarily  in 
a  brief  manner.  First  let  me  say,  that  I  am  glad  to 
learn  that  you  are  about  to  publish  a  manual  On  Straw- 
berry Culture.  Your  long  experience  and  marked 
success  will  enable  you  to  invest  the  subject  with  unu- 
sual interest. 

We  cannot  always  command  just  such  a  soil  as  we 
want ;  but  we  generally  have  the  material  at  hand  to 
modify  it  so  as  to  answer  our  purpose  very  well.  For 
the  strawberry  I  prefer  a  sandy  loam,  well  drained, 
and  a  southern  exposure.  -An  eastern  aspect  is  alsc 
good.  Animal  manures  I  do  not  much  use,  except  on 
a  few  of  the  hermaphrodites,  and  then  very  sparingly, 
and  only  that  which  is  well  decomposed.  I  much 
prefer  prepared  muck,  leaf-mould,  &c.  When  a  stimu- 


APPENDIX.  141 

lant  is  required,  a  solution  of  guano,  the  salts  of  am- 
monia, dilute  tannic  acid,  cr  a  top-dressing  of  guano,* 
superphosphate  of  lime,  pc.ash,"&c.,  answers  the  pur- 
pose well.  I  prefer  the  ammonia  and  tannic  acid.  In 
a  garden,  strawberries  should  be  planted  in  beds,  and 
each  kind  kept  distinct.  Make  the  beds  three  feet  wide, 
put  three  plants  in  a  row,  the  two  outside  ones  being 
six  inches  from  the  edge  of  the  bed ;  the  plants  will 
then  be  one  foot  apart.  The  rows  should  be  eighteen 
inches  apart ;  but  in  a  small  garden  they  may  be  one 
foot  apart.  Select  young  plants  in  preference  to  old 
ones.  Set  the  plant  up  to  the  crown,  but  do  not  cover 
it.  Keep  the  ground  open  and  porous,  and  free  from 
weeds.  A  word  as  to  to  the  best  time  for  planting.  I 
prefer  early  spring ;  but  where  a  supply  of  water  is  at 
hand,  it  may  be  done  at  any  time ;  for  only  give  the 
strawberry  plenty  of  water,  and  it  will  defy  any  amount 
of  heat.  I  would  remark,  en  passant,  that  whoever 
attempts  to  water  his  strawberries  must  do  it  thorough- 
ly, if  he  would  have  his  plants  derive  any  benefit  from 
it.  A  thorough  soaking  once  a  week  will  do  more  good 
than  fifty  sprinklings  a  day.  Where  water  is  not  at 
hand,  the  planting  should  be  done  during  Aug-.ist  and 

*  Further  experience  has  led  me  to  discard  the  use  of  guano, 
particularly  as  a  top-dressing.  It  is  not  only  too  stimulating  for 
the  strawberry,  but  rapidly  dissolves  the  vegetable  constituents  of 
the  soil,  which  I  consider  essential  to  the  plant. — January,  1856- 


142  APPENDIX. 

September,  taking  advantage  of  a  heavy  rain.  I  prefer 
the  early  part  of  September ;  in  fact,  I  have  planted 
Hovey,  Burr's  New  Pine  Walker's  Seedling,  and 
others,  as  late  as  the  21st  ol  October,  and  every  plant 
survived  the  winter  withoui  covering  of  any  kind; 
but  I  would  not  recommend  planting  later  than  Sep- 
tember. 

Next,  a  few  words  about  mulch-*.'*?  and  after-treatment. 
Latterly  I  have  seldom  resorted  to  mulching.  I  have 
a  rake  seven  inches  wide  with  prongs  eight  inches  long, 
made  of  highly  tempered  steel.  This  is  m^  mulcher. 
With  this  instrument  I  work  between  the  rows  from 
spring  till  fall ;  and  frequently  when  the  plants  are  in 
fruit.  I  know  I  shall  be  told  that  this  is  a  dangerous 
practice,  and  I  admit  that  it  is  in  inexperienced  hands ; 
indeed,  I  would  not  trust  another  to  use  it  among  my 
own  plants,  owing  to  the  danger  of  injuring  theii 
fibres ;  and  yet  I  use  it  myself  within  an  inch  of  the 
crown.  When,  therefore,  I  cannot  give  the  necessary 
personal  attention  to  my  plants,  I  resort  to  the  next 
best  mulcher,  which  is  tan,  either  spent  or  fresh.  I 
prefer  the  latter.  The  ground  should  first  be  well 
stirred,  and  the  tan  applied  not  more  than  one  inch 
thick.  If  too  much  is  applied  it  is  apt  to  ferment  and 
kill  the  plants.  Many  fine  beds  have  been  destroyed 
in  this  way.  Where  tan  cannot  be  had,  leaves  from 
the  woods  may  be  used.  These  make  an  ad*  .arable 


APPENDIX.  143 

mulch,  and  promise,  in  my  opinion,  to  take  the  first 
place  among  mulchers.  Hay,  straw,  grass,  sawdust, 
&o.,  are  also  good ;  but  whatever  is  used  for  this 
purpose,  the  crown  of  the  plants  must  in  no  case  be 
covered. 

The  beds  having  been  properly  made,  the  after- 
treatment  becomes  a  very  simple  matter;  indeed,  I 
know  of  no  plant  that  gives  such  generous  returns  at 
so  small  a  cost  of  labor ;  but  you  must  not  infer  from 
this  that  I  justify  anything  like  neglect.  The  beds 
must  be  looked  over  occasionally,  runners  removed, 
weeds  pulled  up,  and  everything  kept  neat  and  clean. 
In  the  spring,  rake  the  mulching  into  the  walks,  stir 
up  the  soil,  apply  a  top-dressing  if  needed,  and  then 
put  back  the  mulching.  The  best  mode,  however,  is  to 
apply  one  of  the  solutions  before  mentioned,  after  the 
fruit  has  set.  The  bearing-season  may  be  considerably 
prolonged  by  thorough  watering,  and  will  amply  repa-y 
the  trouble  where  the  means  are  at  hand.  As  soon  as 
the  plants  have  done  bearing,  they  will  throw  out  run- 
ners, which  must  be  pinched  off,  unless  plants  are 
wanted  for  new  beds.  I  have  no  time  to  add  more 
here,  except  to  say,  that  he  who  would  have  good, 
strawberries  must  cultivate  them ;  by  which  I  mean  the 
opposite  of  letting  them  take  care  of  themselves. 

You  will  doubtless  expect  me  to  add  a  few  words  in 
regard  to  some  of  the  leading  varieties ;  but  it  would 


144  APPENDIX. 

be  impolitic  for  me  to  say  much  on  this  point,  since 
you  know  I  am  now  testing  all  the  new  varieties,  and 
conducting  a  series  of  experiments  having  reference  to 
the  natural  history  of  this  most  interesting  plant. 
Friends  have  furnished  me  with  varieties  entirely  new, 
and  not  yet  sent  out ;  but  these  I  have  only  had  under 
trial  since  last  May,  and  it  would  be  quite  premature 
to  say  much  about  them,  though  some  of  them  are 
very  promising.  I  am  daily  expecting  more.  At  some 
future  time  I  shall  review  them  all.  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  say,  however,  that  the  following  are  good,  with- 
out at  present  designating  them  in  any  other  way: 
McAvoy's  Superior,  Hovey's  Seedling,  Moyamensing, 
Burr's  New  Pine,  Black  Prince,  Pennsylvania,*  Mc- 
Avoy's Extra  Eed,  (rather  acid),  Boston  Pine,  Alice 
Maude,  Longworth's  Prolific,  Excellente,  Walker's 
Seedling,  Beach's  Queen,  Large.  Early  Scarlet,  Ange- 
lique.  But  I  rather  think  I  will  stop,  for  I  know  not 
where  this  may  lead  me.  Barr's  New  White  and 
Bicton  Pine  are  both  large  white  varieties ;  the  former 
is  best. 

*  Pennsylvania  will  not  bear  well  or  produce  good  fruit  except 
'  under  generous  treatment ;  certainly  not  under  trees,  where,  strangely 
enough,  I  have  seen  it  while  undergoing  a  trial ;  and,  as  may  natu- 
rally be  supposed,  a  severe  trial  it  proved.  To  the  above  list  might 
be  added,  Scott's  Seedling,  Kate,  Monroe  Scarlet,  Wilson's  Seed- 
ling, Barry's  No.  1,  and  others.  No.  1,  in  my  opinion,  is  much  the 
best  qf  Mr.  Barry's  Seedlings.— January,  1856. 


APPENDIX.  1-15 

You  also  tell  me  you  mean  to  add  some  directions 
about  the  culture  of  currants,  gooseberries,  and  other 
small  fruits,  as  well  as  the  grape.  These  things  should 
be  better  grown  than  they  generally  are.  Gooseberries 
and  currants  are  usually  seen  as  a  mass  of  half-decayed 
branches,  without  form  or  sightliness.  It  is  next  to 
impossible  to  bring  these  into  shape,  or  develop  their 
maximum  productiveness.  It  is  better  to  begin  anew. 
Procure  plants  struck  from  cuttings  ;  grow  them  with 
a  clean  stalk  not  less  than  six  inches  in  height ;  prune 
them  every  winter,  keeping  the  heads  well  open,  and 
shorten  in  last  season's  growth  in  the  currant,  but  not 
in  the  gooseberry.  These  fruits  are  generally  planted 
against  the  fence,  or  in  some  out-of-the-way  corner, 
just  where  they  should  not  be.  Give  them  an  open 
exposure,  plenty  of  manure,  and  good  culture,  and  you 
will  bo  amply  rewarded.  The  Red  Dutch  is  best  for 
general  purposes ;  but  Knight's  Sweet  Bed,  Cherry, 
Prince  Albert,  White  Grape,  and  others,  <may  be  added 
where  there  is  room. 

The  raspberry  and  blackberry  are  also  desirable  in 
a  garden,  furnishing  a  delicious  fruit  at  an  opportune 
S3ason.  They  both  require  a  deep,  rich  soil.  The 
blackberry  may  be  planted  against  an  east  fence,  and 
the  raspberry  against  a  west  fence — about  the  best 
places  in  the  garden.  The  old  wood  of  the  raspberry 
should  be  cut  out  after  it  has  ceased  bearing,  and  some 
7 


146  APPENDIX. 

four  or  five  canes  of  the  new  growth  retained  for  next 
season.  The  blackberry  should  be  winter  pruned,  and 
shortened  in  about  the  last  of  July.  They  should  both 
be  tied  to  stakes  or  to  the  fence,  and  the  ground  kept 
free  from  weeds.  Of  raspberries,  the  Fastolf,  Red 
Antwerp,  and  Yellow  Antwerp  are  among  the  best. 
Dr.  Brinckle  has  raised  several  seedlings,  one  of  which, 
Col.  Wilder,  I  have  growji  and  found  to  be  good- 
The  above  in  some  localities,  will  need  protection  in 
winter,  which  is  best  done  by  bending  down  the  canes 
and  covering  them  with  earth.  Mr.  Van  Dewenter, 
of  Astoria,  has  a  new  everbearing  raspberry,  which 
will  prove  to  be  an  acquisition.* 

Of  blackberries,  the  Improved  High  Bush  (of  Boston) 
and  the  New  Rochelle  ape  now  pretty  well  known. 
The  latter  is  certainly  the  best,  and  most  productive : 
it  is  a  most  beautiful  fruit,  and  worthy  of  general  cul- 
tivation. I  saw  a  basket  of  this  fruit  from  Mr.  Rose- 
velt,  of  Pelham,  Westchester  Co.,  the  berries  of  which 
measured  from  three  to  three  inches  and  a  half  in  cir- 
cumference. Mr.  Lawton  has  also  shown  fine  speci- 
mens. About  a  year  since,  while  at  Chester,  Morris 

*  This  is  really  a  continual  bearer,  being  loaded  with  fruit  until 
further  growth  is  checked  by  the  severity  of  the  frost.  It  is  a  good 
fruit  of  fair  size,  and  ought  to  be  widely  disseminited.  The  Cata- 
wissa,  which  is  represented  to  possess  the  same  everbearing  quali- 
ties, I  have  not  seen  Dr.  Brinckle's  Orange  proves  to  be  among 
the  best  of  all  raspberries. — January,  1856. 


APPENDIX.  147 

Co.,  N.  J.,  I  saw  a  blackberry  growing  wild,  closely 
resembling  the  New  Kochelle,  and  quite  equal  to  it. 
I  have  a  variety,  however,  which  I  consider  superior 
to  either  of  the  above  in  point  of  flavor.  It  is  very 
distinct  in  wood  and  foliage,  and  a  strong  grower.  It 
is  a  hybrid  variety,  and  may  be  had  of  Mr.  More,  of 
Yorkville. 

To  say  anything  important  of  the  grape  in  a  few 
lines  is  no  easy  matter.  The  best  soil,  I  apprehend, 
is  a  gravelly  loam,  thoroughly  underdrained,  and  sub- 
soiled  or  trenched.  We  expect  the  vine  to  yield  its 
fruit  for  a  lifetime  at  least,  and  should  prepare  the  soil 
accordingly.  The  ground  having  been  trenched,  dig 
a  hole  not  less  than  three  feet  square  and  two  feet  deep, 
and  fill  up  nearly  a  foot  with  a  compost  of  manure, 
bones,  broken  charcoal,  lime  rubbish,  and  vegetable 
mould,  or  as  many  of  these  materials  as  can  be  pro- 
cured, but  no  dead  dogs,  cats,  or  horses.  Over  this 
compost  put  a  layer  of  the  best  soil ;  then  take  your 
vine,  spread  the  roots  in  their  natural  position,  and  fill 
up  carefully.  Vines  three  and  four  years  old  are  the 
best,  if  they  have  been  properly  cared  for,  otherwise 
I  would  prefer  those  two  years  old.  Pruning  is  a  mat- 
ter of  the  first  importance.  In  gardens,  vines  are  grown 
upon  either  arbors  or  trellises,  and  the  same  kind  of 
pruning  will  not  answer  for  both.  The  arbor  is  gene- 
rally used  for  the  purpose  of  shade  as  well  as  fruit, 


APPENDIX. 

and  here  spur-pruning  is  generally  practised,  but 
carried  to  such  an  extreme,  that  in  the  course  of  years 
the  vines  become  knotty,  stunted,  and  unproductive. 
The  first  year,  little  or  no  pruning  is  necessary ;  if 
there  is  much  top,  however,  it  must  be  cut  into  two  or 
three  good-eyes.  The  vine  is  very  tractable,  and  may 
be  trained  in  the  most  symmetrical  manner;  this, 
however,  is  too  often  done  at  the  expense  of  the  best 
fruit-wood.  In  the  case  of  the  arbor,  after  the  leaders 
have  been  trained  to  their  places,  and  the  vines  have 
come  into  bearing,  do  not  prune  closer  than  three  eyes. 
If  the  growth  is  likely  to  be  too  much,  rub  out  the 
middle  eye,  leaving  the  third  for  fruit,  and  the  first 
for  bearing  next  year ;  at  which  time  cut  away  all  the 
wood  down  to  this  first  shoot,  which  latter  must  be  cut 
to  three  eyes,  rubbing  out  the  second  as  before,  and  so 
on  from  year  to  year.  The  truth  is,  it  would  require 
several  pages  to  explain  this  matter  fully,  but  I  have 
no  time  for  it.  In  the  case  of  the  trellis,  what  garden- 
ers call  cane-pruning  is  the  best.  Select  as  many  shoots 
as  are  wanted,  and  cut  out  all  the  rest ;  these  shoots 
are  then  shortened  into  the  first  good  eye  ;  but  if  this 
ihould  leave  them  too  long,  they  must  be  cut  to  the 
Jcsired  length.  I  regret  that  I  have  not  time  to  explain 
this  fully  ;  but  the  principle  is,  to  get  rid  of  last  year's 
bearing-wood,  and  keep  the  new  wood  as  near  to  the 
body  as  possible.  The  grape  border  must  be  man  urea, 


APPENDIX.  149 

spaded,  and  cultivated  with  as  much  care  as  you  would 
bestow  on  a  crop  of  corn.  A  summer  pruning  is  also 
necessary,  which  consists  in  thinning  out  the  superflu- 
ous growth,  and  pinching  in  the  laterals.  The  leaves 
of  the  grape-vine  must  in  no  case  be  removed.  The 
best  time  to  prune  is  in  the  fall  and  early  winter. 

The  best  grapes  for  this  latitude  are  the  Isabella, 
Catawba,  and  Early  Black,  or  Madeira ;  the  latter  only 
for  the  garden ;  the  Charter  Oak,  Koyal  Muscadine,  (a 
synonyme),  and  others  of  that  class,  are  worthless  hum- 
bugs. The  Diana  is  a  small,  sweet  and  rather  pleasant 
grape,  and  desirable  for  localities  where  the  Isabella 
will  not  ripen.*  The  Clinton  and  some  others  which 
are  well  spoken  of  I  have  had  no  opportunity  of  test- 
ing, and  I  have  seen  the  fruit  of  many  seedlings,  which 
deserve  no  further  mention,  with  the  exception  of  a 
white  variety  with  the  Catawba  flavor,  and  ripening 
first  of  September.  I  think  this  last  will  prove  to  be 
a  very  good  grape. 

Bat  this  letter  has  reached  a  great  length,  and  I 
must  close  it,  with  all  its  shortcomings.  If  it  con- 


*  I  have  elsewhere  stated,  in  a  report,  as  the  result  of  further 
experience,  that  I  consider  the  Diana  valuable  for  general  cultiva- 
tion ;  and  since  then,  the  American  Pomological  Society  has  put  it 
on  its  general  list.  It  is  certainly  a  fine  grape.  The  Concord,  in 
regard  to  which  there  has  been  so  much  controversy,  is  deserving 
of  a  full  and  fair  trial. — January,  1856. 


l-r)0  APPENDIX. 

fji ins  anything  of  use  to  you  for  the  purposes  of 
your  manual,  you  are  at  liberty  to  do  what  you  please 
with  it. 

Sincerely  yours,  PETER  B.  MEAD. 


APPENDIX  F.  ' 
THE    FRUIT  AND  VEGETABLE  GARDEN. 

BY     AN    AMATEUR. 

THERE  are  a  few  accessories  of  the  homestead  more 
important  than  a  good  fruit  and  vegetable  garden  ;  no 
borne  is  perfect  without  them.  If  there  is  one  thing 
more  than  another  which  adds  to  the  comforts  of  a  poor 
man's  cottage,  it  is  a  well-kept  garden,  in  its  largest 
sonse ;  nay,  it  is  a  luxury,  even  to  the  millionaire.  A 
well-regulated  house  within,  and  a  well-kept  garden 
without,. make  up  much  of  the  sum  of  human  happi- 
ness. How  few  such  there  are !  The  garden  is  too 
generally  looked  upon  as  something  to  minister  to  the 
mere  appetite ;  but,  when  rightly  regarded,  it  exercises 
a  moral  and  intellectual  influence,  which  gives  it  a 
strong  claim  to  the  serious  consideration  of  all  who  feel 
any  concern  in  the  ultimate  destiny  of  the  human  race. 
Horticultural  pursuits,  above  all  others,  bring  into 
healthy  play  those  powers  of  body  and  mind,  the 
mutual  exercise  of  which  alone  can  keep  up  that  just 


APPENDIX.  151 

equilibrium  of  the  physical,   intellectual,  and  moral 
forces  which  makes  the  true  man. 

I  will  now  submit  a  few  practical  remarks  on  what 
may  be  called  the  Cottage  Vegetable  Garden,  or  rather 
Fruit  and  Vegetable  Garden ;  for,  on  a  limited  plot, 
they  ought  not  to  be  separated.  There  is  no  good 
reason  why  a  man  with  three  or  four  city  lots,  each 
25  by  100  feet,  should  not  indulge  the  luxury  of  a  few 
choice  fruits,  equally  with  him  who  owns  his  acres. 

In  what  follows,  it  is  supposed  that  the  lots  run 
n<  rth  and  south,  the  house  being  built  on  the  north 
front,  and  the  flower-garden  separated  from  the  vege- 
table by  a  rose-trellis  the  full  width  of  the  lots.  The 
flower-garden  and  lawn  will  occupy  another  article. 

Let  us  suppose  a  man  has  four  lots  of  ground,  two 
of  which  are  taken  up  with  a  house,  lawn,  flower-gar- 
den, &c.  He  will  then  have  a  plot  50  by  100  for  a 
fruit  and  vegetable  garden.  Now  it  will  not  do  to  use 
half  of  this  up  with  walks — a  thing  quite  too  common. 

Beginning  at  the  rose-trellis,  lay  off  a  central  walk 
four  feet  wide,  through  the  length  of  the  garden  ;  then, 
immediately  behind  the  rose-trellis,  lay  off  a  grape- 
border  ten  feet  wide,  and  parallel  with  this  a  walk 
three  feet  wide,,  stopping  three  feet  short  of  each  side- 
fence  ;  then  borders  three  feet  wide  next  the  east  and 
wrest  fence;  then,  parallel  with  these,  a  walk  three  feet- 
wide  ;  then  a  central  walk  four  feet  wide,  through  the 


152  APPENDIX. 

width  of  the  garden,  and  a  walk  three  feet  wide  close 
to  the  south  fence.  This  arrangement  will  make  four 
large  central  beds,  each  40  by  17  feet,  besides  the  bor- 
ders. The  beds  and  borders  should  be  edged  with 
box,  kept  closely  cut.  The  whole  garden  should  be 
trenched  two  or  three  feet  deep.  To  make  the  walks, 
dig  out  the  soil  three  feet  deep ;  fill  in  with  stones 
about  one  foot,  and  cover  them  with  stout  brush ;  then 
put  in  the  soil,  and  finish  with  about  six  inches  of 
coarse  sand  or  gravel,  raising  the  walks  a  little  in  the 
middle.  Roll  them  from  time  to  time  till  they  become 
settled ;  a  good  coating  of  salt  will  help  to  make  them 
hard,  and  keep  them  free  from  weeds.  Walks  thus 
made  will  keep  your  feet  dry,  and  your  beds  tolerably 
well  drained — the  latter  an  object  which  should  never 
be  lost  sight  of,  especially  where  early  fruit  and  vege- 
tables are  desired.  There  are  some  matters  connected 
with  grading  and  levelling,  which  must  be  determined 
by  the  circumstances  of  each  particular  case.  Lastly, 
there  should  be  some  eighteen  inches  of  good  soil,  of 
which  sod  mould  is  the  very  best.  No  amateur  can 
hope  to  have  a  good  garden,  pleasantly  worked,  unless 
everything  is  properly  prepared  from  the  beginning; 
hence  these  particulars. 

Now  let  us  see  what  permanent  " fixtures"  are 
wanted.  Four  feet  from  the  rose-trellis,  put  in  a  row 
of  posts,  six  or  seven  feet  high  and  eight  feet  apart, 


APPENDIX.  l.~>3 

upon  which  stretch  four  stout  wires.  Plant  a  grape- 
vine between  each  post,  and  keep  them  well  pruned, 
on  the  cane  system.  Eschew  all  charlatans  and  hum 
bugs,  whether  in  the  shape  of  men  or  vines,  and  among 
the  latter,  especially  the  Charter  Oak.  The  walk,  if 
made  as  directed,  will  keep  this  border  well  drained — 
a  matter  of  much  moment,  where  well-flavored  grapes 
are  desired.  Two  or  three  loads  of  gravel,  incorpo- 
rated with  the  soil,  would  make  it  still  more  congenial 
to  the  grape.  Between  each  vine,  and  some  three  feet 
from  the  box  edging,  put  in  a  rhubarb  plant,  and 
under  it  a  good  heap  of  manure.  This  is  a?  good 
arrangement,  notwithstanding  some  may  object  to  it. 
In  the  centre  of  this  border,  where  the  wide  walk 
intersects  it,  a  summer-house  may  be  erected. 

In  the  border  around  the  east  fence,  plant  the  black- 
berry, some  three  or  four  feet  apart ;  in  the  -west  bor- 
der, plant  the  raspberry  at  about  the  same  distance. 
It  would  be  well,  however,  to  reserve  a  portion  of  the 
west  border  for  a  few  plants  of  sage,  parsley,  thyme,  &c. 
'  There  now  remain  the  four  large  beds,  the  borders 
of  which  may  be  occupied  with  dwarf  fruit  trees ;  no 
others  should  ever  be  grown  in  a  garden,  and  by  no 
means  plant  them  in  an  auger-hole.  I  would  recom- 
mend chiefly  pears ;  but,  for  the  sake  of  variety,  a 
couple  of  plums,  apricots,  cherries,  quinces,  &c.,  may 
be  added.  These  should  be  planted  in  the  border  of 


154  APPENDIX. 

the  large  beds,  about  three  feet  from  the  box  edging, 
and  some  eight  feet  apart.  Between  each  tree  a  cur- 
rant or  gooseberry  bush  may  be  planted ;  these  should 
be  raised  from  cuttings,  grown  to  a  single  stalk,  and 
regularly  winter-pruned.  This  mode  of  planting  is 
good  in  itself,  and  leaves  all  but  the  border  of  the 
large  beds  for  th-3  vegetables,  strawberries,  &c.  One  bed 
may  be  occupied  with  strawberries  and  asparagus,  but 
the  latter  must  be  kept  three  or  four  feet  from  the 
fruit  trees. 

Having  disposed  of  the  principal  permanent  arrange- 
ments, let  us  look:  for  a  moment  at  such  vegetables  as 
will  have  to  be  raised  annually.  For  this  purpose  we 
have  left  three  of  the  large  beds.  It  is  taken  for 
granted  that  a  good  supply  of  well-prepared  barn-yard 
manure  has  been  procured,  as  well  as  a  set  of  steel 
garden  implements,  which  latter  should  always  be  kept 
as  bright  as  a  new  penny.  First  make  up  your  mind 
what  you  will  grow,  and  how  much  of  it.  Then  spread 
on  a  good  coating  of  manure,  and  spade  twelve  inches 
deep.  It  is  surprising  to  a  novice  how  much  can  be 
grown  on  a  given  surface.  Beets,  carrots,  salsify, 
parsnips,  lima  beans,  and  some  others,  will  occupy  the 
ground  the  whole  season.  Beets  should  be  sown  thick, 
in  drills  six  inches  apart,  each  alternate  row  to  be  used 
for  greens,  as  well  as  the  thinnings  of  the  others. 
Between  the  carrots,  &c.,  radishes  may  be  sown. 


APPENDIX.  155 

Lettuce,  radishes,  &c.,  may  be  sown  in  the  raspberry 
and  blackberry  borders.  Peas  should  be  sown  in 
double  drills  six  inches  apart,"  at  intervals  of  three 
feet.  Between  the  peas  may  be  planted  beets  for 
greens,  radishes,  spinach,  lettuce,  &c.,  making  two 
drills  of  each.  The  peas  will  come  off  in  time  for 
turnips,  late  cabbage,  brocoli  or  celery;  the  latter 
should  be  planted  in  beds,  the  earth  thrown  out  one 
spade  deep,  the  celery  planted  in  rows,  one  foot  apart, 
and  the  plants  from  six  to  ten  inches  in  the  rows. 
Snap  beans  will  be  off  in  time  for  cabbage,  turnips, 
fall  spinach,  &c.  If  beans  are  wanted  in  the  fall,  they 
may  follow  onions,  where  these  have  been  grown  from 
sets.  A  few  cucumbers  may  be  planted  in  the  fruit 
border.  Sugar-corn  should  be  planted  in  drills  three 
feet  apart,  the  plants  six  inches  in  the  drills  for  the 
small  early  varieties,  and  about  a  foot  for  others.  For 
a  succession,  plant  from  early  spring  till  the  first  week 
in  July,  two  or  more  drills  at  a  time,  according  to  the 
wants  of  the  family.  Corn  map  may  be  planted  after 
some  of  the  crops  named  above.  If  one  piece  of 
ground  is  used,  a  portion  of  it  will  give  you  some  early 
spinach  and  peas.  Eadishes  may  also  be  planted  from 
time  to  time  "along  the  fruit  border,  but  too  much  of  that 
will  injure  the  trees.  A  few  egg-plants  and  peppers 
may  also  be  planted  in  the  fruit  border,  but  not  imme- 
diately under  the  trees.  By  the  exercise  of  a  little 


156  APPENDIX. 

judgment,  a  vari3ty  of  things  may  be  m-ide  to  follow 
each  other  in  this  way,  so  that  no  spot  of  ground  need 
necessarily  remain  unoccupied  for  a  single  day  during 
the  whole  season. 

The  ground  must  be  kept  free  from  weeds,  and  well 
worked  at  all  times.  When  the  weather  is  dry,  use  the 
hoe  more  frequently  than  usual,  (a  narrow,  low-pronged 
rake  is  best),  which  will  enable  the  ground  to  absorb 
moisture  from  the  atmosphere,  of  which  it  always  con 
tains  some,  even  in  the  dryest  weather.  Frequent 
stirring  of  the  soil  is  important  in  another  respect,  in 
keeping  it  open  and  porous,  and  enabling  it  to  take 
up  the  gases  of  the  atmosphere,  which  constitute  no 
inconsiderable  portion  of  the  food  of  plants.  It  will 
also  give  an  earlier  and  better  crop.  Discard  the  prac- 
tice of  earthing  your  plants,  except  for  the  purpose  of 
blanching.  Hilling  should  not  be  tolerated,  except  in 
soils  naturally  retentive  of  moisture ;  the  true  remedy 
for  which  consists  in  underdraining,  and  not  in  hilling. 

The  preceding  remarks  are  mostly  -of  a  general 
nature,  but  a  few  words  may  be  said  here  of  the  time 
and  labor  necessary  to  cultivate  and  keep  in  order  a 
garden  like  that  here  described.  A  person  familiar 
with  the  operations  to  be  performed,  and  expert  in  the 
use  of  implements,  can  generally  perform  the  necessary 
labor  (unless  he  is  dronish)  without  detriment  to  his 
daily  business ;  on  the  contrary,  he  will  find  himself 


APPENDIX.  157 

invigorated  for  the  discharge  of  its  duties.  At  all 
events,  he  will  need  but  a  few  days'  assistance  for  the 
rough  work.  I  know  that  very  much  more  than  this 
has  been  done  for  years  and  will  continue  to  be  done. 
I  speak  this  for  the  encouragement  of  those  who  desire 
to  surround  their  homes  with  these  luxuries,  but  whose 
means  will  not  permit  them  to  employ  a  permanent 
gardener.  Much  time  is  lost  for  want  of  proper  know- 
ledge. The  best  advice  I  can  give  the  novice  is,  first 
to  learn  what  is  to  be  done,  and  then  learn  how  tp  do 
it,  and  always  do  it  well.  May  the  day  come  when 
even  the  common  laborer  shall  be  blessed  with  the 
comforts  of  a  good  home,  and  rejoice  "  under  his  own 
vine  and"  fruit  "tree!" 


GARDENING  FOR  PROFIT, 

In  the  Market  arid  Family  Garden 


BY  PETER  HENDERSON. 


This  is  the  first  work  on  Market  Gardening  ever  published  in  this 
country.  Its  author  is  well  known  as  a  market  gardener  of  twenty 
years'  successful  experience.  In  this  work  he  has  recorded  this 
experience,  and  given,  without  reservation,  the  methods  necessary 
to  the  profitable  culture  of  the  commercial  or 


It  is  a  work  for  which  there  has  long  been  a  demand,  and  one 
which  will  commend  itself,  not  only  to  those  who  grow  vegetables 
for  sale,  but  to  the  culf^ator  of  the 

"FAMILY   GARDEN, 

to  whom  it  presents  methods  quite  different  from  the  old  ones  gen- 
erally practiced.  It  is  an  ORIGINAL  AND  PURELY  AMERICAN  work,  and 
not  made  up,  as  books  on  gardening  too  often  are,  by  quotations 
from  foreign  authors. 

Every  thing  is  made  perfectly  plain,  and  the  subject  treated  in  all 
its  details,  from  the  selection  of  the  soil  to  preparing  the  products 
for  market. 

CONTENTS. 

Men  fitted  for  the  Business  of  Gardening. 

The  Amount  of  Capital  Required,  and 

"Working  Force  ^per  Acre. 

Profits  of  Market  Gardening. 

Location,  Situation,  and  Laying  Out. 

Soils,  Drainage,  and  Preparation. 

Manures,  Implements. 

Uses  and  Management  of  Cold  Frames. 

Formation  and  Management  of  Hot-beds. 

Forcing  Pits  or  Green-houses. 

Seeds  and  Seed  Raising. 

How,  When,  and  Where  to  Sow  Seeds. 

Transplanting,  Insects. 

Packing  of  Vegetables  for  Shipping. 

Preservation  of  Vegetables  in  Winter. 

Vegetables,  their  Varieties  and  Cultivation. 

In  the  last  chapter,  the  most  valuable  kinds  are  described,  and 
the  culture  proper  to  each  is  given  in  detail. 

Sent    post-paid,    price  $I.5O. 
ORANGE     JTJDD    &    CO.,    245    Broadway,    New-  York. 


FARM-GARDENING 


BY  FRANCIS  BRILL. 


jSTOTICIKS     I3Y     T  H  K     1>  R.  E  S  S  . 

Orange  Judd  &  Co.  have  added  to  their  splendid  catalogue  of  agricultural 
books  "  Farm-Gardening  and  Seed-Growing,  by  Francis  Brill:  it  is  practical, 

Slain,  complete,  and  satisfactory,  so  tliat  for  a  small  amount  of  money  a  great 
eal  of  desirable  information  can  bo  obtained.     If  then;  is  any  firm  anywhere 
which  is  to-day  disseminating  so  much  knowledge  in  regard  to  tilling  of  the 
eoil,  as  this  same  said  firm  of  Orange  Jmld  &  Cix,  wo  will  present  a  medal  to 
our  informer. — Watchman  and  Reflector,  (Boston.) 

The  want  occasionally  expressed  to  us  of  a  work  on  fie  cognate  subjects 
above  named,  (Farm-Gardening  and  Seed-Growing,)  is  now  met  in  a  book 
under  this  title,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Francis  Brill,  formerly  a  market-gardener 
and  seed-grower  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  at  present  engaged  in  raising  seeds  ;,t 
Mat  i  i  tuck,  L.  I.  Its  directions  are  concise  and  practical,  covering  those  points 
ou  which  a  beginner  is  most  likely  to  require  information. — Country  Gentleman. 

It  seems  to  be  a  very  sensible,  practicii  work  by  a  practical  man.  Mr. 
Bri  1's  father  w  is  a  gardener;  and  i  e  himself  has  hud  jm  extensive  experience, 
uml  he  talks  about  what  he  knows,  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of  many 
authors  of  industrial  work*. — Moore's  Rural  Nerv-  Yorker. 

There  can  be  no  question  that  this  farm-gardening  can  be  made  ia  many  dis- 
tricts of  the  Southern  Atlantic  States,  especially  near  tiic  const,  far  more  profit- 
able than  growing  the  ordinary  staple  crops.  n  connection  with  producing 
the  vegetables,  the  growing  and  saving  thejr  seeds  receive  minute  attention. — 
American,  Farmer,  (Baltimore.) 

This  industry  is  now  occupying  the  attention  of  many  persons  who  sell 
their  products  to  the  grcst  seed-houses,  and  novices  who  have  the  facilities, 
and  wish  to  enter  upon  t'-e  business,  will  find  in  this  book  just  the  hints 
needed. — Springfield  Republican. 

Mr.  Brill  ha^  been  a  successful  farm-gardener  and  peed-grower  for  a  number 
of  ye:rs,  and  gives  in  a  clear  and  concise  form  the  knowledge  he  has  gained. 
It  gives  the  best  method  of  manuring,  pla  iting,  and  cultivating  every  veg- 
etable sold  in  market — in  short,  every  thing  required  t  >  be  known,  plainly  and 
fully— and  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  one  wli  >  culiivat.es  so  mucli  as  a 
rod  of  land  for  family  use,  pleasure,  or  profit. — Suffolk  (L.  I.)  Times. 

The  seal  of  Orange  Judd  &  Co.  upon  an  agricultural  publication  is  sufficient 
guarantee  of  its  worth.  Francis  Brill's  book,  published  by  them,  is  a  very 
complete  work,  giving  plain,  minute  instructions  a^i  to  raising,  taking  care  of, 
and  bringing  to  market,  those  vegetables  which  are  most  in  demand  in  the 
larire  cities,  and  those  eceds  which  are  being  called  for  throughout  the  country. 
— JV.  Y.  Evening  Mail. 

IPrioe,    rost-paid,     $1.OO. 
.TUDD    Sc, 

245    HKOA.DWA.Y,     NEW- YORK. 


THE 

SMALL    FRUIT    CULTURIST. 

BY 

• 

ANDREW   S.  FULLER. 
Beautifully   Illustrated. 

We  have  heretofore  had  no  work  especially  devoted  to  small 
fruits,  and  certainly  no  treatises  anywhere  that  give  the  information 
contained  in  this.  It  is  to  the  advantage  of  special  works  that  the 
author  can  say  all  that  he  has  to  say  on  any  subject,  and  not  be 
restricted  as  t.o.space,  as  he  must  be  in  those  works  that  cover  the 
culture  of  all  fruits — great  and  small. 

This  book  covers  the  whole  ground  of  Propagating  Small  Fruits, 
their  Culture,  Varieties,  Packing  for  Market,  etc.  While  very  full  on 
the  other  fruits,  the  Currants  and  Raspberries  have  been  more  care- 
fully elaborated  than  ever  before,  and  in  this  important  part  of  hia 
book,  the  author  has  had  the  invaluable  counsel  of  Charles  Downing, 
The  chapter  on  gathering  and  packing  the  fruit  is  a  valuable  one, 
and  in  it  are  figured  all  the  baskets  and  boxes  now  in  common  use. 
The  book  is  very  finely  and  thoroughly  illustrated,  and  makes  an 
admirable  companion  to  the  Grape  Culturist,  by  the  same  author. 

CONTENTS: 

CHAP.     I.  BARBERRY.  CHAP.  VII.  GOOSEBERRY. 

CHAP.  II.  STRAWBERRY.  CHAP.  VIII.  CORNELIAN  CHERRY. 

CHAP.  III.  RASPBERRY.  CHAP.     IX.  CRANBERRY. 

CHAP.  IV.  BLACKBERRY.  CHAP.      X.  HUCKLEBERRY. 

JHAP.    V.  DWARP  CHERRY.  CHAP.    XL  SHEPERDIA. 

iUiAP.  VL  CURRANT.  CHAP.  XII.  PREPARATION     FOB 

GATHERING  FRUIT. 

Sent  post-paid.    Price  $1.50. 
ORANGE    JTTDD    &    CO,,    245    Broadway,    New-York 


THE 


ANDEEW  S.  FULLER. 


NEW      AND      ENLARGED      EDITION/ 


THE    STANDARD    WORK 

ON    THE    CULTIVATION    OF    THE    HARDY    GRAPE, 

AS   IT   NOT    ONLY    DISCUSSES   PRINCIPLES, 

BUT 

ILLUSTRATES    PRACTICE. 

Every   tiling    is  made   perfectly   plain,  and    its   teach- 
ings   may    be    followed    upon 

ONE     VINE     OB    A    VINEYARD. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  topics  that  are  treated: 

GROWING  NEW  VARIETIES  FROM  SEED. 

PROPAGATION  BT  SINGLE  BUDS  OR  EYES. 

PROPAGATING  HOUSES  AND  THEIR  MANAGEMENT  FULLY  DESCRIBED. 

How  TO  GROW; 

CUTTINGS  IN  OPEN  AIR,  AND  HOW  TO  MAKE  LAYERS. 

GRAFTING  THE  GRAPE — A  SIMPLE  AND  SUCCESSFUL  METHOD. 

HYBRIDIZING  AND  CROSSING — MODE  OF  OPERATION. 

SOIL  AND  SITUATION — PLANTING  AND  CULTIVATION. 

PRUNING,  TRAINING,  AND  TRELLISES — ALL  THE  SYSTEMS  EXPLAIHF.P, 

GARDEN  CULTURE— How  TO  GROW  VINES  IN  A  DOOR- YARD. 

INSECTS,  MILDEW,  SUN-SCALD,  AND  OTHER  TROUBLES. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  VALUABLE  AM>  THE  DISCARDED  VARIETIES. 

Sent  post-paid.    Price  $1.50. 
Orange    Judd    <fe    Co.,    245  Broadway. 


The  Miniature  Fruit  Garden: 

OR, 

THE  CULTURE  OF  PYRAMIDAL  AND  BUSH  FRUIT  TREES 

BY  THOMAS   RIVERS. 

ILLUSTRATED. 

MR.  RIVERS  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  of  the  English  nursery* 
wen  and  orchardists.  The  popularity  that  his  work  has  attained  in  Eng- 
land is  shown  by  the  fact  that  our  reprint  is  from  the  Thirteenth  London 
Edition.  This  treatise  is  mainly  devoted  to 

Dwarf  Apples  and  Pears. 

Nothing  is  more  gratifying  than  the  cultivation  of  dwarf  fruit  trees,  and 
this  work  tells  how  to  do  it  successfully.  These  miniature  trees  are  beauti- 
ful ornaments,  besides  being  useful  in  giving  abundant  crops  of  fruit ,  they 
can  be  grown  in 

Small   Gardens  and  City  Yards, 

and  be  removed  without  injury,  almost  as  readily  as  a  piece  of  furniture. 
The  work  also  gives  the  manner  of  training  upon  walls  and  trellises 

Root    Pruning 

IB  fully  explained,  and  various  methods  of  protection  from  frosts  are  given. 
Dwarf  Cherries  and  Plums 

are  treated  of  as  are  other  dwarf  trees.     Directions  are  also  given  for 
growing 

Figs  and  Filberts. 

While  written  for  the  climate  of  England,  its  suggestions  are  valuable 
everywhere,  and  no  one  who  grows  dwarf  trees  should  be  without  this  littia 
work,  in  which  is  condensed  the  whole  practice  of  the  author,  and  which, 
like  all  his  writings,  bears  the  marks  of  long  experience  in  the  practice  at 
fruit  growing. 

POST   PAID.      PRICE,  $1. 

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MY  VINEYARD  AT  LAKEVIEW; 

OR. 

SUCCESSFUL    GEAPE    CULTURE, 
BY   A   WESTERN   GRAPE   GROWER. 

ILLUSTRATED. 

To  any  one  who  wishes  to  grow  grapes,  whether  a  single  vine  or  a  vine- 
yard, this  book  is  full  of  valuable  teachings.  The  author  gives  not  only  hn 
Buocess,  but,  what  is  of  quite  as  much  importance,  his  failure.  It  tells  just 
what  the  beginner  in  grape  culture  wishes  to  know,  with  the  charm  that 
always  attends  the  relation  of  personal  experience. 

It  is  especially  valuable  as  giving  an  account  of  the  processes  actually 
followed  in 

CELEBRATED    GRAPE    REGIONS 

in  Western  New- York  and  on  the  shores  and  islands  of  Lake  Erie. 

This  book  is  noticed  by  a  writer  in  the  Horticulturist  for  August  last  aa 
follows  :  "  Two  works  very  different  in  character  and  value  have  just  been 
published,  and  seem  to  demand  a  passing  notice.  The  better  and  less  pre- 
tentious of  the  two  is  '  MY  VINEYARD  AT  LAKEVIEW,'  a  charming  little  book 
that  professes  to  give  the  actual  experience  of  a  western  grape  grower,  de- 
tailing not  only  his  successes,  but  his  blunder?  and  failures.  It  is  written 
in  a  pleasant  style,  without  any  attempt  at  display,  and  contains  much  ad- 
vice that  will  prove  useful  to  a  beginner — the  more  useful  because  derived 
from  the  experience  of  a  man  who  had  no  leisure  for  fanciful  experiments, 
but  has  been  obliged  to  make  his  vineyard  support  himself  and  his  family." 


Written  in  a  simple  and  attractive  style,  and  relating  the  experience  of  one  who  felt 
his  way  along  into  the  successful  cultivation  of  a  vineyard  in  Ohio; — Mass.  Ploughman. 

It  is  the  experience  of  a  practical  grape  grower,  and  not  the  theory  of  an  experi- 
menter.— Bath  Daily  Sentinel  and  Times. 

It  has  no  superior  as  an  attractive  narrative  of  country  life.—  Hartford  Daily  POft. 

Many  books  have  been  written  on  the  grape,  but  this  is  the  only  work  that  gives  an 
account  of  grape  growing  as  actually  practiced  at  the  successful  vineyards  in  the  grap« 
region  of  the  West,  and  will  be  welcomed  by  a  large  class  of  readers.— ^few-Bedford 

This  little  rolume  contains,  in  an  attractive  form,  and  in  clear  and  concise  language, 
just  the  information  needed  to  enable  any  one  to  become  thoroughly  posted  up  iu  this 
delightful  and  profitable  branch  of  horticulture.—  Vermont  Fanner. 

Just  the  manual  for  a  beginner,  by  one  who  says  "he  is  well  rewarded  in. the  succeu 
attained."  Adding,  "It  might  have  been  reached  in  half  the  time,  had  I  possessed  th« 
knowledge  imparted  to  the  reader  of  this  book." — Boston  Cultivator. 

Sent  Post-paid.      Price,  $1.25. 
ORANGE  JUDD   &   CO.,    245  Broadway,  New-York. 


AMERICAN    POMOLOGY. 
APPLES. 

By    J>oct.    .TOIIIV    A.    WAHI>JEI1, 

PRJSBIDENT   OHIO  POMOLOGICAL  SOCIETY  ;   VICE-PKESIDENT   AMEKICA* 
POMOLOO1CAL   SOCIETY. 

293     ILLUSTRATIONS. 

This  volume  has  about  750  pages,  the  first  375  of  which  are  det 
Toted  to  the  discussion  of  the  general  subjects  of  propagation,  nur- 
sery culture,  selection  and  planting,  cultivation  of  orchards,  care  of 
fruit,  insects,  and  the  like  ;  the  remainder  is  occupied  with  descrip- 
tions of  apples.  With  the  richness  of  material  at  hand,  the  trouble 
was  to  decide  what  to  leave  out.  It  will  be  found  that  while  the 
old  and  standard  varieties  are  not  neglected,  the  new  and  promising 
sorts,  especially  those  of  the  South  and  West,  have  prominence. 
A  list  of  selections  for  different  localities  by  eminent  orchardists  is 
a  valuable  portion  of  the  volume,  while  the  Analytical  Index  or 
Catalogue  Raisonne,  as  the  French  would  say,  is  the  most  extended 
American  fruit  list  ever  published,  and  gives  evidence  of  a  fearful 
amount  of  labor. 

CONTENTS. 

Chapter  I.— INTRODUCTORY. 

Chapter         II.-HISTORY    OF    THE    APPLE. 

Chapter       III.-PROPAGATION. 

Buds  and  Cuttings— Grafting— Budding— the  Nursery 

Chapter         IV.-DWARF1NG. 

Chapter          V.-DISEASES. 

Chapter         VI.-THE    SITE    FOR    AN    ORCHARD. 

Chapter       VI  I.-PREPARATION  OF  SOIL  FOR  AN  ORCHARD 

Chapter    VII1.-SELECTION    AND    PLANTING. 

Chapter        IX.-CULTURE,   Etc. 

Chapter          X.-PHILOSOPHY    OF    PRUNING. 

Chapter       XL-THINNING. 

Chapter     XII. -RIPEN ING    AND    PRESERVING    FRUITS. 

Chapter  XIII.  and   XIV.-INSECTS. 

Chapter       XV.-CHARACTERS      OF      FRUITS      AND      THElll 
VALUE-TERMS    USED. 

Chapter    XVI. -CLASSIFICATION. 

Necessity  for— Basis  of— Characters— Shape— Its  Roga 
larity— Flavor— Color— Their  several  Values,  etc.  De- 
scription of  Apples. 

Chapter  XVII.-FRUIT   LISTS- CATALOGUE  AND   INDEX  OF 
FRUITS. 

Sent  Post-Paid,  Price  $3.00. 

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BARRY'S 

FEUIT    GARDEN. 

J3y    X*.     B^ 


NOTICES    BY    THE    PRESS. 

"Barry's  Fruit  Garden"  is  one  of  those  practical,  profusely  illustrated,  and 
comprehensive1  manuals  which  Orange  Judd  &  Co.  delight  to  publish.  It  seems 
to  tell  almost  every  thing  which  one  book  can  tell  about  the  ins  and  outs  and 
ways  arid  means  of  fruit  culture. —  The  Advance,  (Chicago.) 

This  volume  of  490  pages,  as  its  title  implies,  is  devoted  to  the  culture  of 
fruits  of  every  variety  in  orchards  and  gardens.  It  describes  the  diseases  inci- 
dent to  the  various  fruit  trees,  the  kinds  of  insects  that  prey  upon  them,  and 
the  remedies  for  ridding  trees  of  the  evil. — Scie/ttijic  American. 

The  author  writes  from  his  own  practical  experience;  and  that  experience  is 
of  no  ordinary  character,  being  the  result  of  more  than  thirty  years' work  at 
the  head  of  the  largest  nursery  in  America,  where  every  operation  is  conducted 
with  eminent  skill. —  Tlie  County  Gentleman. 

It  explains  all  the  minutine  of  fruit-gardening,  even  to  the  implements,  copi- 
ously illustrated  by  engravings,  so  that  the  merest  novice  need  not  err ;  gives 
descriptions  of  all  the  different  kinds  of  fruit  that  can  be  raised  in  our  climate 
in  every  stage  of  their  lives,  from  the  germ  to  the  fruit-bearing  period,  with 
instructions  in  pruning  and  grafting,  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner.  The 
chapter  on  grapes  alone  is  worth  more  than  the  price  of  the  book.— Jemy 
City  Times. 

It  is  a  rich  mine  of  information  upon  fruits  of  all  kinds  and  their  proper 
culture.— Providence  Press. 

Mr.  Barry  has  long  been  known  as  an  authority  upon  fruit  culture,  and  this 
volume  01  490  pages,  with  a  full  and  carefully  prepared  index  gives  the  latest 
results  of  his  study  and  experience.—  ipringfleld  Republican. 

This  beautiful  volume,  of  nearly  five  hundred  pages,  will  be  cordially  wel- 
comed by  every  lover  of  nature.  It  is  the  most  perfect  work  we  have  seen  on 
the  whole  subject,  and  well  deserves  awide  circulation. — United  Presbyterian, 
(Pittsburgh.) 

We  have  orchardists,  strawberry  books,  grape  books,- small  fruit  books,  and 
all  that ;  what  we  want  in  one  book  for  them  all.  Here  we  have  it.  It  is  qui le 
a  scientific  work,  too,  giving  more  than  mere  arbitrary  directions;  we  have  the 
grounds  for  them.  May  we  rely  on  what  it  says?  A  sufficient  answer  is  that 
it  comes  from  the  office  of  the  American  Agriculturist. — Zion's  Herald. 

FROM  HON.  MARSHALL  P.  WILDER. 

"PRESIDENT  OP  THE  AMERICAN   POMOLOGICAL    SOCIETY. 

BOSTON,  April,  1872. 

GENTLEMEN:  I  have  perused  with  great  pleasure  the  new  and  improved  edi- 
tion of  Mr.  Barry's  book.  It  is  in  every  respect  desirable,  and  will  receive  the 
approbation  of  our  best  pomologists.  It  is  the  result  of  a  long  life  of  experi- 
ence, and  admirably  calculated  to  meet  the  demands  of  our  age.  I  give  it  a 
hearty  welcome.  MARSHALL.  P.  WILDER. 

T»rio©,    Post-paid,    &3.5O. 

ORANGE    JUDD    &    COMPANY, 

Broadway,  New-York. 


PARSONS   ON    THE    ROSE. 

A  TREATISE  ON  TF.fl 

Propagation,  Culture,  and  K&cry  of  the  Rose. 

By  SAMUEL  B.  PARSONS. 
AND     REVISED     EDITION. 

ILLUSTRATED. 


THE  Rose  is  the  only  flower  that  can  be  said  to  have  a  history.  It  is  pop- 
ular now,  and  was  so  centuries  ago..  In  his  work  upon  the  Rose,  Mr.  Parsona 
has  gathered  up  the  curious  legends  ce-nterning  the  flower,  and  gives  us  an 
idea  of  the  esteem  in  which  it  was  hr.ld  in  former  times.  A  simple  garden 
classification  has  been  adopted,  and  the  leading  varieties  under  each  clasa 
enumerated  and  1)riefly  described.  Tne  chapters  on  multiplication,  cultiva- 
tion, and  training,  are  very  full,  and  the  work  is  aU^elner  the  most  complete 
of  any  before  the  public. 

The  following  is  from  the  author's  Preface  : 

"In  offering  a  new  edition  of  this  work,  th*  preparation  of  which  gave 
as  pleasure  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  we  have  not  only  carefully  revised 
the  garden  classification,  but  have  stricken  out  much  of  the  poetry,  which,  to 
the  cultivator,  may  have  seemed  irrelevant,  if  not  worthless.  For  the  interest 
of  the  classical  scholar,  we  have  retained  much  of  the  early  history  of  the 
Rose,  and  its  connection  with  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  two  great 
nations  of  a  former  age. 

"  The  amateur  will,  we  think,  find  the  labor  of  selection  much  diminished 
by  the  increased  simplicity  of  the  mode  we  have  adopted,  while  the  commer- 
cial gardener  vvill  in  nowise  be  injured  by  the  change. 

"  In  directions  for  culture,  we  give  the  results  of  our  own  experience,  and 
have  not  hesitated  to  avail  ourselves  of  any  satisfactory  results  ia  the  experi- 
ence of  others,  which  might  enhance  the  utility  of  the  work." 


CONTENTS: 

CHAPTER  I. — Botanical  Classification. 

CHAPTER  II.— Garden  Classification. 

CHAPTER  III.— General  Culture  of  the  Rose. 

CHAPTER  IV.— Soil.  Situation,  and  Planting. 

CHAPTER  V.— Pruning,  Training,  and  Bedding. 

CHAPTER  VI.— Potting  and  Forcing. 

CHAPTER  VII.— Propagation. 

CHAPTER  VIII.— Multiplication  by  Seed  and  Hybridizing. 

CHAPTER  IX.— Diseases  and  Insects  Attacking  the  Rose. 

CHAPTER  X.— Early  History  of  the  Rose,  and  Fables  Respecting  its  Origin. 

CHAPTER  XI.— Luxurious  Use  of  the  Rose. 

CHAPTER  XII.— The  Rose  in  Ceremonies.and  Festivals,  and  in  the  Adorn- 

ment  of  Burial-places. 

CHAPTER  XIII.— The  Rose  in  the  Middle  Ages. 
CHAPTER  XIV.— Perfumes  of  the  Rose. 
CHAPTER  XV.— Medical  Properties  of  the  Rose. 
CHAPTER  XVI.— General  Remarks. 

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INCITT,  VILLAGE  and   COUNTRY, 

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AMERICAN   AGRICULTURIST, 

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FARM,  QARDEN  AND  HOUSEHOLD, 

Including  a  Special   Department  of  Interesting  and 

Instructive  Reading  for  CHILDREN  and  YOUTH. 

The  Agriculturist  is  a  large  periodical  of  Forty-four  page*,  qnarto,  not  octavo, 
beautifully  printed,  and  filled  with  plain,  practical,  reliable,  original  matter.  Includ- 
ing hundreds  of  beautiful  and  instructive  Engravings  in  every  annual  volume. 

It  contains  each  month  a  Calendar  of  Operations  to  be  performed  on  the  Farm, 
In  the  Orchard  and  Garden,  in  and  around  the  Dwelling,  etc. 

The  thousands  of  hints  and  suggestions  given  !n  every  volume  are  prepared  by  prac- 
tical, intelligent  working  men,  who  know  what  they  talk  and  write  about.  The 
articled  are  thoroughly  edited,  and  every  way  reliable. 

The  Household  Department  Is  valuable  to  every  Housekeeper,  affording 
very  many  useful  hints  and  directions  calculated  to  lighten  and  facilitate  in-door  work. 

The  Department  for  Children  and  Youth,  is  prepared  with  special  care 
not  only  to  amuse,  but  also  to  inculcate  knowledge  and  sound  moral  principles. 

Circulation.— Terms.— The  circulation  of  the  American  Agriculturist  is  so 
large  that  it  can  be  furnished  at  the  low  price  of  $1.50  a  year :  four  copies,  one  year,  for 
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copies,  15  cents  each.  An  extra  copy  to  the  one  furnishing  a  club  of  ten  or  twenty. 

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